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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Five foreigners kidnapped in Iraq | Five foreigners kidnapped in Iraq |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Four Americans and an Austrian have been kidnapped from a convoy of civilians in southern Iraq, US and Iraqi sources have said. | Four Americans and an Austrian have been kidnapped from a convoy of civilians in southern Iraq, US and Iraqi sources have said. |
| The convoy of 19 vehicles, operated by a Kuwait-based security service, was attacked on Thursday. | The convoy of 19 vehicles, operated by a Kuwait-based security service, was attacked on Thursday. |
| Unconfirmed reports said the incident took place at a bogus checkpoint and nine other civilians were released. | Unconfirmed reports said the incident took place at a bogus checkpoint and nine other civilians were released. |
| Sunni-linked insurgents have killed dozens of kidnapped foreigners but most abducted in the south have been freed. | Sunni-linked insurgents have killed dozens of kidnapped foreigners but most abducted in the south have been freed. |
| Reports said the convoy was attacked near Basra as it headed for the city of Nasiriya. | |
| The foreigners taken were all security contractors. | |
| One official familiar with the incident told the Associated Press some of the civilians who had been freed were being interviewed by the military. | One official familiar with the incident told the Associated Press some of the civilians who had been freed were being interviewed by the military. |
| They included men from India, Pakistan and the Philippines. | They included men from India, Pakistan and the Philippines. |
| The family of an American man, Paul Reuben, 39, confirmed to US media it had been informed that he was among those captured. | The family of an American man, Paul Reuben, 39, confirmed to US media it had been informed that he was among those captured. |
| His sister-in-law, Jennifer Reuben, said he had called last week to say he planned to come home because of increasing violence. | His sister-in-law, Jennifer Reuben, said he had called last week to say he planned to come home because of increasing violence. |
| The convoy was operated by the Crescent Security Group, which works mainly in Iraq. | The convoy was operated by the Crescent Security Group, which works mainly in Iraq. |
| Its website says it "conducts convoy escort duties for an ever-growing number of coalition militaries, embassies, government contractors". | Its website says it "conducts convoy escort duties for an ever-growing number of coalition militaries, embassies, government contractors". |
| A spokesman for the group told Associated Press: "I'm not sure what the British and US military have put in motion, and I don't want to release too much information in case it compromises whatever they may be doing." | |
| Nasiriya is the capital of Dhi Qar province, which was returned to Iraqi control in September. | Nasiriya is the capital of Dhi Qar province, which was returned to Iraqi control in September. |
| Hijackings and abductions are frequent in southern Iraq but those kidnapped are generally freed, unlike in the Sunni strongholds further north. | Hijackings and abductions are frequent in southern Iraq but those kidnapped are generally freed, unlike in the Sunni strongholds further north. |
| Baghdad abductions | |
| Separately, there is still confusion over the kidnapping of scores of education ministry workers in Baghdad on Tuesday. | |
| Sunni and Shia leaders cannot agree whether all the hostages have now been freed. | |
| The Sunni higher education minister said more than half the 150 victims were still being held. | |
| But interior ministry spokesman Brig Gen Abdul-Karim Khalaf said all the ministry employees were free, although some others taken from the building were still being held. |