Two Lebanese hostages in Iraq are released

The al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad group in Iraq on Wednesday released two Lebanese who were kidnapped since 27 days. Sharbel Karim al-Haj and Aram Nalbidian said they were released after the kidnappers were assured that they are not working for the American forces.

Concerning the two French hostage held in Iraq, political officials in Paris said that the French prime minister Jan Pierre Rafaranb stressed to them on Wednesday that the two hostages are still alive and that "indirect negotiations were resumed with the kidnappers, according to recent information the government had got."

On the other hand, the British foreign office yesterday warned the British against being exposed to kidnapping in north Iraq. This was expressed in the course of the recommendations to the British citizens traveling abroad. It seems that this warning has links to the expected escalation of the operations against the foreign forces in Iraq during the holy month of Ramadan.

Meantime, the German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder yesterday renewed his rejection to send his country's troops to Iraq. He said in a press conference with the Italian prime minister Sylvio Berlyskony "we will not be sending soldiers to Iraq and that there is no change in this regard."