The family members of the Punjabi youth stranded in Iraq today received a call from Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj assuring her help in rescuing them.

Gurpinder Kaur, whose brother Maninder Singh is amongst those stranded in Iraq, told ANI that Sushma assured help and told her that she has been monitoring the situation herself.

The family members had earlier urged the government to accelerate their efforts for bringing the stranded boys home. The anxious family members had also offered prayers in Sikh shrines for the safe return of their children.

Reports say that at least 41 boys from Punjab along with other Indian resident are stranded in Iraq. Families of these boys had approached the Indian embassy in Baghdad as well as officials in the Ministry of External Affairs.