Holding hostages in Iraq escalates pressure on the coalition
Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/12/2004

Owners of transport cars between Baghdad and Amman nowadays set a condition that among the passangers should not be any one of the citizens of the countries taking part in the occupation army.

The inspection points placed by the Iraqi resistance throughout the deserts of al-nbar desert inspects every and each car in search of a hostage from these countries.

It is evident that modes of pressures on the invading forces have become varied. The kidnapping of hostages has become of same importance as military escalation which overwhlemed several cities of al-Anbar and al-Najaf governorates in addition to the quarters of al-Azameyah, al-Sader city and al-Su'la quarters in Baghdad.

Last Friday, six persons were kidnapped. 4 Italians and two Americans. One British was announced as kidnapped near al-Nasereyah and on Thursday 8 Clergies from Southern Korea were kidnapped, members in a church on the road between Amman and Baghdad.

On the same road, earlier, three Japanese were kidnapped ( two of them are working in the relief field and the third is a photographer). An organization calling itself " Saraya al-Mujahidin" claimed in a video tape responsibility for kidnapping the three men, giving a grace period of three days for the Japanese to withdraw from Iraq before the kidnappers decided to release them within 24 hours.

One American, Thomas Hamel was also kidnapped by this group in Falouja. He works for a company providing the American army for fuel.

Al-Mahdi army group in al-Koufa confirms that there are Spanish prisoners. A matter which was denied by the Spanish Lt. Gen. in Iraq.

Also kidnapped are two Palestinians carrying Israeli documents. They are working for the American agency for International Development ( USID).

On April 7th, two Germans were announced to be kidnapped on a Falouja road near al-Karmah area. German is not basically from the coalition countries, while Italy has 2700 troops in southern Iraq.

Southern Korea has 600 soldiers including engineers and doctors and is intending to sending other 3,000. The Japanese forces toll 550 soldiers and all of them are in al-Samawa province to the south of Iraq. Spain has 1300 soldiers and most of them are in central Iraq. Britain, however, is the second force in the coalition of 11,000 troops and the US has 110,000 troops.

Certain sides which has hostages called for the departure of foreign forces from Iraq so as the hostages to be released. Some of them called for exchanging their hostages with Mustafa al-Yaqoubi, the associate for the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader and who is held in al-Najaf by the Americans since April 3. According to the American version he is accused of being involved in the killing of the Shiite leader Abdul Muguid al-Khuwai one year ago.

Previous Stories:
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