World | India
Emiratis unhurt in Mumbai's terror attacks
There is no need for worry or concern as UAE nationals who are currently in Mumbai are all safe, confirmed Humood Rashid Abu Afraa, UAE consul general to India.
- By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:24 November 28, 2008
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Dubai: There is no need for worry or concern as UAE nationals who are currently in Mumbai are all safe, confirmed Humood Rashid Abu Afraa, UAE consul general to India.
In an exclusive interview to Gulf News by telephone he said that there are about 200 UAE nationals in Mumbai.
"I am glad to inform you that there are no UAE nationals present in Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident hotels. They have been evacuated. All of our nationals who are in Mumbai have come here to receive medical treatment at various hospitals. They have been staying in the various hotels in the city. We do not have any students enrolled in colleges and universities in Mumbai," said Abu Afraa, who sounded relieved by the fact that even those UAE nationals who were held up for little over 12 hours inside their rooms in the two five star hotels The Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident have come out without a scratch.
Targets
The hotels were targeted by terrorists who had opened fire discriminately and taken some hostages.
The chief of India's elite commando unit said on Friday that two terrorists at the Trident-Oberoi Hotel have been shot dead.
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Mumbai police said that over 93 people were evacuated from the Oberoi Hotel, while 24 bodies were recovered.
"We were working in close coordination with the Mumbai police who have been with us all along. None of our nationals have received any injuries. My consulate staff and I have all been in constant touch with all our nationals from day one, when the city was attacked," said Abu Afraa.
When asked whether all 200 UAE nationals will be flown back home in special flights, Abu Afraa said: "No, we are not forcing any of our nationals to leave Mumbai but if they wish to fly back home we get the flight booking done. Forty UAE nationals flew back home from Mumbai on Thursday and about the same numbers are expected to fly back today. There are no special flights arranged we have booked them in various flights including Indian Airlines, Etihad, Emirates airlines, Air Arabia depending on the availability of seats."
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