Mother awaits son's release

BABOWAL: Harbhajan Kaur, 49, desperately anticipates the return of her son Harsimranjit Singh, who was taken captive by the Islamic State in Iraq, along with 38 other Indians, in 2014. With the recent counter-operation launched in Mosul by Iraqi security forces, Harbhajan and husband Tarsem Singh have a reason to rejoice. If the forces liberate the city, chances of the captured to return becomes high. "Someone has told me that air strikes are conducted after confirming the location, and civilians are not hurt. But then air strikes have hit the entire city of Aleppo in Syria," said Harbhajan. Mothers of other missing youths are in touch with her. "On October 6, we had a two-hour meeting with Sushma Swaraj, she showed us a two-page letter from her source which said 39 missing Indians were seen in Mosul. She also spoke to me separately. She is very confident."