Signaling that the situation in Iraq is unpredictable and extremely risky, the United States on Sunday, 15 June, stated that it is evacuating its employees from the Embassy in Baghdad.
The US embassy in Baghdad has about 5,300 workers, who are involved in training the Iraqi security forces in using war equipment.
The announcement comes in the wake of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) claims
that it has killed about 1,700 Iraqi soldiers, all of them Shiite Muslims captured last week.
The developments and the US' precautionary steps give a hint that the violence may spread further into Baghdad.
The US has sent a "small number of DoD personnel" to help the State Department
security assets in Baghdad to ensure the safety of US facilities, said a statement by
Pentagon spokesman Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby.
Media reports suggest that ISIS has vowed to advance into Baghdad and northern and
central Iraq. However, the US State Department stated that a substantial majority of the US
Embassy present in Iraq will remain in place. Despite this statement by the US,
evacuation of hundreds of US workers from the embassy was on. US Embassy in Iraq is said to be the largest.
The US said evacuation of its workers is being facilitated through commercial, charter and
State Department aircraft. While the military "airlift assets" were also ready for evacuation of the personnel, the statement added that the State Department had not made any requisition for US military's help in the evacuation.
It is reported that ISIS militants have captured large parts of north Baghdad and were advancing into central Iraq, which has resulted in high prices of food and rise in demand of security in the city, which has seven million people.
On its part, the Indian Union Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday issued an advisory to its citizens in the country to avoid unnecessary travel to the trouble-hit Iraq. It has also issued an advisory to its citizens in Iraq to leave the country by safe commercial means.
The Indian Ministry's advisory asked Indians living in Iraq areas to stay indoors and keep in touch with the country's Embassy in Baghdad for any kind of advice and updated information.
Spokesperson of Indian External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin stated in his tweet
about the steps being taken by Indian Embassy to help Indians in Iraq. According to him, India's Embassy in Baghdad has set up 24-hour helpline which can be accessed for any information or aid.
The contact email is: amb.baghdad@mea.gov.in and the helpline numbers are +9647704444899 and +9647704843247.
