The families say Swaraj was a constant source of support and helped them bring back the mortal remains of their loved ones which finally gave them closure.
Melbourne-born Prakash, who was linked to several Australia-based attack plans and calls for lone-wolf attacks against the US, was killed in an airstrike in Mosul.
Samawa is the capital of Muthanna and lies deep in Iraq's Shiite heartland and such attacks there are rare.
Here are some of the best photos from around the world in the month gone by.
'It is never a good idea to let the broad population determine policy that is the domain of experts and specialists,' notes Aakar Patel.
A massive drone strike on the world's largest crude-processing facility operated by Saudi Arabia's Aramco has driven oil prices to their highest level in nearly four months. The attack has knocked out over half of Saudi Arabia's production as it cut 5.7 million barrels per day or over 5 per cent of the world's supply.
Pompeo defended the killing of Soleimani saying he was making efforts for an attack on Americans in the region.
General Soleimani headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Quds Force and also served as Iran's pointman on Iraq.
They are the first to be declared terrorists under the new anti-law, a home ministry official said.
The US has deployed its elite counter-terrorism unit Delta Force for covert operations in Iraq to capture or kill high-ranking Islamic State operatives and gather intelligence, according to a media report.
Iran beat defending champions DPR Korea via sudden death (6-5) after both the teams were locked 1-1 in the regulation time to set up a title clash with Iraq in the AFC U-16 Championship, in Margao on Thursday.
US President Trump said the IS leader spent his last moments "whimpering and crying and screaming" in a dead-end tunnel before he blew himself up, killing also his three children.
The then UK foreign secretary Jack Straw made the revelations during his depositions before the Chilcot Inquiry, which declared today that the Iraq invasion in 2003 had been based on "flawed intelligence".
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has expressed his willingness to play the second season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the country, but said he is too scared to travel to Pakistan amidst safety and security concerns.
The order gives the state and treasury departments authority to consider and impose sanctions on individuals, entities or associates of the Turkish government involved in actions that endanger civilians or lead to the further deterioration of peace, security and stability in northeast Syria.
As India's international role expands, so must our capabilities, says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
The Iraq Football Association (IFA) pledged their support for Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in next month's FIFA presidential election.
Making their second Under-17 World Cup appearance, Iraq have been the surprise package of the proverbial 'group of death' as they are well placed to advance to the knockout stage following a spirited 1-1 draw against two-time champions Mexico, and a 3-0 rout of Latin American giants Chile.
The body of the former minister, wrapped in a tricolour, was brought to the crematorium in the afternoon from the BJP headquarters, where it was kept for few hours for people to pay their respects.
In 2014, Doval, who was appointed as India's fifth NSA, played a crucial role in ensuring the secure return of 46 Indian nurses who were trapped in a hospital in Iraq.
'It is because we treat them as our own people, and there is no difference between owners and workers here.'
Coastal police stations and police chiefs have been alerted about suspicious vessels.
'The bigger challenge and dilemma for Pakistan would be if the US and Saudi Arabia go full throttle against Iran and enforce regime change in Tehran.' 'That would be bad news for Pakistan, especially with the current instability in Balochistan,' notes Brigadier Narender Kumar (retd).
'Today, if the international community is seeking space, if not place, here, then the message is not unclear in any which way. 'It does not reflect well on the nation's standing in the international arena, where human rights issues go a long way in building bilateral relations and benefiting from international cooperation, more than any aspect of politics and diplomacy,' N Sathiya Moorthy.
Blair, however, stopped short of a full apology for the war, saying, "I find it hard to apologise for removing Saddam. I think, even from today in 2015, it is better that he's not there than that he is there."=
The Iraqi military said that the site of a meeting was struck killing several of the group's leaders.
Trump said Baghdadi constantly changed his mind about his movements from his well protected compound in Syria, but, for reasons known to him, this time decided to stay for longer.
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last appeared in 2014 during a sermon at the Great Mosque in Mosul. The speech marked the rise of self-declared "caliphate" of IS in Iraq and Syria.
President Trump, in a move that could have implications on India's energy security, on Monday decided not to grant sanctions exemptions to any oil customers of Iran, further squeezing Tehran's top export commodity.
The current Indo-Pak crisis over Kashmir is a godsend for the US. With tensions running high, Pakistan is in no position to militarily help the Taliban. Once this realisation dawns on the Taliban, they are likely to be more amenable to a compromise on American terms, says Colonel Anil Athale (retired).
'More members of the Indian Armed Forces have died in Kashmir, North East and Naxal areas than in the 1962 and 1971 wars against Pakistan combined. These deaths are the result of political failure and not war.'
Iceland retained the top spot while Afghanistan is now the least peaceful country in the world.
The capture of Baghouz comes almost three months (December 2018) after US President Trump declared that IS had been defeated in Syria.
IS-Khorasan was sanctioned for its links with Al Qaeda and involvement in several deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan that killed over 150 people.
The Saudi and Iraq offer to replace Iranian crude supplies comes with a catch: Higher prices for the same quality of crude. The new government will face a tough decision over fuel price hike, says Aveek Sen.
Its advanced Longbow radar picks up enemy armoured vehicles and then destroys them with anti-tank missiles, air-to-surface rockets or a chain gun that sends 625 rounds per minute ripping into the targets.
'Employment of dedicated lightweight special forces aircraft may provide the answer for repeat anti-terror air strikes with surprise elements intact, the cost benefit assured and attrition minimal,' says Group Captain Murli Menon (retd), India's former air adviser in Pakistan.
The United States on Friday ruled out a full-scale reinvasion of Iraq by American military in view of the Islamic State gaining ground in the country.
Dreaded Islamic State terror group has purportedly opened its own 5-star hotel complete with 262 rooms, restaurants, ballrooms and gym in Iraq's Mosul city for its Jihadist commanders, according to a media report.
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