Kerala priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil, rescued from ISIS captivity, reaches Vatican

New Delhi: Father Tom Uzhunnalil, a Kerala priest who was abducted from Yemen in 2016, has reached the Vatcian city hours after he was rescued from the captivity of the Islamic State, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had confirmed this late on Tuesday.

EAM Sushma Swaraj confirmed on Twitter that Father Tom Uzhunnalil, abducted by Islamic militants in Yemen last year, had reached the Vatican.

Father Tom Uzhunnalil has reached Vatican. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) September 12, 2017

Meanwhile preparations have began at Father Uzhunnalil residence in Kerala's Kottayam distrcit to welcome him.

Father Uzhunnalil, the Indian Christian priest, was rescued from the clutches of terror group Islamic State in Yemen on Tuesday.

Earlier, EAM Swaraj had confirmed the news and tweeted, "I am happy to inform that Father Tom Uzhunnalil has been rescued."

Father Uzhunnalil was reportedly kidnapped in March 4, 2016 by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in Yemen, when they attacked a retirement home in Aden run by the Missionaries of Charity, killing sixteen people, including four nuns.

The Indian government, last year, confirmed that efforts were underway to ensure his early release.