Coalition forces releases Jordanian prisoners

Some 20 Jordanian prisoners freed by the coalition forces which occupy Iraq arrived on Sunday in Amman in two planes for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The 20 prisoners, with most of them are young men under age 25 years old, seemed in a good health condition. They were welcomed by the spokesman for the ICRC in Amman, Muin Qassis.

The Jordanian foreign minister, Marwan al-Muasher, announced the release of those prisoners on Saturday, and indicated that Jordan continues its efforts to release other Jordanian detainees totaling 12.

In December 2003, the coalition forces released 5 prisoners. They were five Jordanians, two Lebanese and one Syrian who were detained in Um Qaser area to the south of Iraq.

Jordan had asked for the release of Jordanian prisoners in Iraq with the majority of them students following up their studies at the Iraqi universities.They were detained by the coalition forces after its occupation of Iraq.