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Westerners 'abducted in Baghdad' Five Britons 'seized in Baghdad'
(40 minutes later)
A number of Westerners have reportedly been kidnapped from a finance ministry building in central Baghdad. Five Britons are reported to have been kidnapped from the Iraqi finance ministry in Baghdad.
There is confusion over the number and nationality of those involved. They included four bodyguards and a finance expert, earlier reported to be German.
They are believed to include at least one finance expert, thought to be German, and at least four bodyguards, believed to be British. "We are aware of reports that a group of Westerners have been kidnapped. We are urgently looking into them," the UK foreign office said.
"We are aware of reports that a group of westerners have been kidnapped. We are urgently looking into them," the UK foreign office said. The foreign office is set to hold an emergency meeting on the situation and is assembling a crisis team.
Central Baghdad was also wracked by a bus explosion which killed at least 22 people and injured about 55. Baghdad was also wracked by a bus explosion which killed at least 22 people and injured about 55, and a car bomb which killed at least 15 people and hurt at least 36.
It is not clear if the parked minibus was carrying any passengers. The US military also announced that two of its soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash on Monday in Diyala province.
The attack took place in Tayaran Square, where labourers wait for daily construction work. There are conflicting reports about exactly how Tuesday's abduction took place and how many people are missing.
The blast comes a day after a car bomb killed at least 20 people in the Sinak commercial district in Iraq. Some reports say the kidnappers were driving what appeared to be police vehicles and wearing police commando uniforms.
The missing security guards are all believed to have been working for the GardaWorld security agency. Their abducted client was thought to be advising the Iraqi finance ministry.
About 200 foreigners of many different nationalities have been kidnapped in Iraq over the past four years, though this is thought to be the first time an abduction has been staged at a government facility.