French Christian charity workers kidnapped in Iraq freed

Paris, March 27 (IANS) Four workers from a French Christian charity who were kidnapped in Iraq in January have been freed, President Emmanuel Macron's office said.The three French nationals and an Iraqi were abducted in Baghdad on January 20, the BBC said in a report on Friday.Their release came a day after France said it would withdraw its troops from Iraq due to the coronavirus pandemic.France's presidential Elysee Palace said it had made "every effort to reach this outcome"."The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," the BBC quoted the Elysee Palace as saying iin a statement on Thursday."The President expresses his gratitude to the Iraqi authorities for their co-operation," IT added.No other details of the release were given.In a statement last week, the charity SOS Chretiens d'Orient said no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction and no ransom demand had been received, the BBC reported.After news of the release, it "warmly thanked" French and Iraqi authorities for their efforts.The charity says it seeks to help Christians in the Middle East and has been working in Iraq since 2014.
--IANS ksk/