Iraqis in Hyderabad worry for their families

Hyderabad: Words fail to describe the mood among the 600 odd Iraqi students studying in various colleges under the Osmania University.

The Iraqi students are worried for their families due to the ongoing violence in  their country. Those who have completed their courses are not in a position to return given the strife-torn situation. Some have had to extend their visas by three months.

Musthafa Mohammed Rashad, a short film director, who is doing his MA in theatre arts from Nizam College, said, “My family lives in Baghdad. I am calling them regularly to know about their situation.”

Haider Aliraqi, a science student, who belongs to Southern Iraq, where the intensity of the internal war is less, says that his brother has joined the army and has gone to Northern Iraq. “The religious heads are asking the youth to join the army and defend the people on behalf of government,” he said.

Another student, Jaher, adds, “Even we may get a call from the Iraqi government one day if the war intensifies.”

Ghassan Hadi, also a student, said, “The terrorist groups are behaving like monsters. Their objective is to ensure the collapse of the Iraqi government but in the process they are killing innocent people.”

He adds that many of his friends studying here had gone to Iraq for their vacations and are now unable to return to Hyderabad. Two days ago, Iraq closed its embassies.

Mr Hadi said, “We may not receive money from my country if the war continues and airports and banks are closed.

According to the University foreign relations office director, Prof. C. Venugopal Rao, there 619 Iraqi students in the varsity.