Iraq has assured cooperation in locating 39 missing Indians: MEA

Iraq yesterday declared victory against the IS group in Mosul after a months-long campaign.

The MEA said Union Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh will travel to Erbil in Iraq later today.

It termed the liberation of Mosul from ISIS as an important milestone in global war on terror and said India welcomes it.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier assured Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh that her ministry was making all-out efforts to trace the 39 Indians, mostly from Punjab, who had been held hostage in the Iraqi city since 2014.

Amarinder today called up Swaraj to seek her intervention. National passenger carrier Air India on Monday said that it has stopped serving non-vegetarian meals to passengers on board its domestic flights' economy class segment.

"Air India has taken a conscious decision not to have non-vegetarian meal in economy class on its domestic flights," a statement from Air India said.

According to the statement, the move would help the airline to reduce wastage and cost and to improve its catering services.