Region | Iraq
Iraqi students held hostage in Mosul freed
A group of 40 students have been freed after what police said was one of the biggest mass abductions in Iraq.
- Agencies
- Published: 13:32 April 6, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- Children who who lost at least one parent to violence in Iraq gather at a school in Sadr City, Baghdad.
Baghdad: A group of at least 40 university students kidnapped at gunpoint near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul have been freed, police said on Sunday.
The kidnapping on Sunday was one of the biggest mass abductions in Iraq since 2003, police said.
"The kidnapped students have been freed by the Iraqi army and police," said Brigadier-General Khalid Abdul-Sattar.
Earlier, he said 42 male university students had been seized. He later said the total number of students captured had been 40.
Abdul-Sattar gave no details of the operation to free the students, who were heading to university in Mosul when gunmen stopped the bus carrying them.
Police said the gunmen tried to stop two buses. The first bus was able to escape, but the second was stopped. The gunmen reportedly kidnapped the male students and left behind three female students.
News Editor's choice
-
Kuwait condemns Houla massacre
Arab League urged to put end to oppression of Syrian people
-
Road crashes main cause of child death in UAE
Death rate among children in car accidents in the UAE is three times higher than global average
-
Last minute ID rush is on
Expatriates in Dubai have thronged typing centres and Emirates ID registration offices to meet the May 31 registration deadline
