| The kidnappers of more than 100 Iraqi government employees have freed about half of their hostages, releasing all their Sunni captives in a clear sign the seizure had been sectarian in nature. "Women hostages and those who were Sunnis were set free, and we believe that now about 40 to 50 employees are still held captive," an Interior Ministry official said. The workers at the Hateen and Nasr factories in Taji, 30km north of the capital, were seized by at least 50 gunmen and spirited away on the same buses they had boarded to take them home. |