New Delhi, May 14 (IANS): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday met the families of Indian workers held captive in Iraq and assured them the government was making "all sincere efforts" to get them released.

"The government is making all sincere efforts for the safe and early release of the Indian workers," she told them.

A statement said the minister had personally spoken to her counterpart foreign ministers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states as well as other friendly countries in the region for their assistance in securing the release of the Indians in captivity.

She also reassured the families about the well-being of the Indian nationals on the basis of information received from various sources.

As many as 39 Indians were reportedly taken hostage in the war-torn Iraqi city of Mosul in June last year.

This was the seventh meeting of the external affairs minister with the families of the Indian workers.