MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin daily briefing on the situation in Iraq. He says there are other nurses in conflict zones apart from the 46 nurses in Tikrit. India has been able to rescue two other nurses from these conflict zones. As for the 46 nurses in Tikrit, Akbaruddin says there are no intrusions in the hospital and the nurses remain safe. "We remain in touch with them. We are exploring all options, every effort is being made," he says.

India has evacuated 17 more of its nationals from the conflict zone of Iraq with the help of local authorities taking the total number of those rescued so far to 34 and also advised its citizens to leave on voluntary basis by commercial means in view of the "fragile" security situation.

The External Affairs Ministry, which issued a fresh travel advisory on Tuesday asking Indians to remain indoors if they are in conflict-prone areas, said, "The safety of Indians in Iraq remains the matter of importance for the country."

The abducted Indians remain in captivity and are unharmed, he says and the government is in touch with various sources.