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| Iraq-Jordan |
| Iraq Negotiators Deny Kenyans' Release |
| 2004-08-01 |
| An Iraqi tribal leader mediating with kidnappers for the release of seven kidnapped truck drivers denied Sunday they had been freed as was claimed by the Kenyan government. Sheik Hisham al-Dulaimi said negotiations to secure the hostages' release had broken down and there was no longer contact with the hostage-takers. A Kenyan government spokesman had said earlier Sunday the truckers — three Kenyans, three Indians and one Egyptian — had been set free. "This is not true, they've not been released," al-Dulaimi told The Associated Press. "The two sides were unable to reach an agreement, I don't know what's going to happen now." A diplomat in Baghdad with knowledge of the negotiations also denied that the seven hostages were released. There was no immediate way to reconcile the reports. Iraq's intensifying wave of kidnappings, most carried out by small and unknown groups over the past months, has frequently seen unclear and contradicting reports over hostages' status. |
| Posted by:Fred |