Aizawl, May 24 (IANS): The Mizoram Police have begun efforts to bring back home three women of the state from Syria, where they were sent in November 2022 and engaged as housemaids but are now facing serious hardships, officials said on Friday.

A Mizoram Police official said that the Indian Embassy in Syria had informed the state government that a meeting of officials of the Embassy and the Syrian's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held on May 19 and that a legal notice had been served to the employers of the Mizo housemaids.

"Due to the volatile political situation in Syria, the progress of the rescue is being hampered. However, necessary procedures to repatriate the Mizo housemaids from Syria are at an advanced stage," the official told the media.

Initially, the Syrian placement agency demanded a payment of $2,500 per housemaid for their early repatriation of Mizo housemaids as per the terms of the contract agreement. However, due to the intervention from the Indian Embassy and Syrian authorities, the placement agency has agreed to arrange replacements.

The official said that the issues and hardships faced by three Mizo housemaids working aboard have been recently highlighted on several social media platforms.

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Home Minister K. Sapdanga have taken this matter very seriously and are monitoring the cases.

"Under the guidance of the Chief Minister and Home Minister, Miss Lalkhumtiri, who had faced issues in Dubai, had also been brought home from that country on May 9. The state government would continue monitoring the situation and maintain communication with all relevant parties and committed to safe repatriation of the three Mizo girls back to Mizoram at the earliest possible time," a Mizoram Police statement said.