"We have received permission from the government of Iraq and the team will be going via Damascus," said Babbar, who is also a member of parliament.

Bhatt, a director known for his controversial films, said the Bollywood pair would be on board an Air India flight by the end of next week with Indian doctors and paramedics planning to carry 100 tonnes of medicine to Iraq.

The doctors are being sent to Iraq on an aid mission by the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, an Islamic organisation and a private satellite television network, Jain TV.

The 50-member medical team that includes doctors from the humanitarian relief organisation, the Red Crescent, will drive down to now-encircled Baghdad from Damascus.

Six Muslim clerics and five Indian businessmen are already in Jordan ready to go into Iraq and act as human shields. They will also ferry food and medicines with them for the Iraqi people.

SPACE.WIRE