THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was Oommen Chandy's 'Yes' that saved the lives of 46 nurses who were held hostage by ISIS terrorists for 23 days in Tikrit, Iraq in 2014. The 96-hour operation conducted by Oommen Chandy, who camped in Delhi to save the nurses shivering in fear in a hospital in Tikrit full of dead bodies, is history.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy sought the help of the then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Delhi. 'War Room' was opened in Delhi. The nurses kept calling Oommen Chandy repeatedly. The sound of gunshots and collective cries on the phone. At gunpoint, the terrorists asked the nurses to come out of the hospital and board their bus. What to do sir..? They kept asking. Sushma Swaraj left the decision to Oommen Chandy. Oommen Chandy made a prayerful decision when there was no option but to board the bus and that decision saved 46 families from the death of their beloved member. After the nurses came down after hearing Oommen Chandy's 'yes', the terrorists bombed the hospital.

Then came the real ordeal. A day and a night of non-stop travel. High temperature in the closed bus. No food, drinking water which was barely enough. Fear that the terrorists may kill them. Sushma suggested a discussion with the terrorists. Negotiations were difficult as the embassy was not functioning. After diplomatic moves by Oommen Chandy and Sushma Swaraj, the nurses were handed over to Indian diplomats.

Oommen Chandy later said about it:- "The fate of that 'Yes' was well thought out. It was a prayerful decision. Sushma Swaraj's firm support made the mission successful. I feel scared when I rethink about it. Thanks to God's blessing and great luck.'

The Air India flight arrived at Erbil airport with two IAS officers from Kerala on Oommen Chandy's request to send a plane as bringing the nurses on a ship would be a threat to their lives. Oommen Chandy went to sleep only after the flight with the nurses took off to Nedumbassery. Terrorists had killed 39 natives of Punjab, Bengal and Bihar who were kidnapped before the nurses.