Sudan closes its embassy in Iraq

The Sudanese foreign ministry on Friday announced the closure of Sudan's embassy in Iraq and the withdrawal of its diplomats there as from yesterday ( Friday). It also called for the release of its citizens kidnapped in Iraq.

The spokesman for the Sudanese foreign ministry Jamal Muhammad Ibrahim said that members of the embassy in Baghdad were notified on the need to leave Iraq.

This came after the announcement made by members of al-Qaida organization in Iraq of responsibility for kidnapping five Sudanese including the second ranking secretary in the Sudanese embassy in Baghdad. In a statement issued on the Internet, the organization threatened to kill them within 48 hours if Khartoum does not sever its relations with Iraq.