Two kidnapped Macedonians released in Iraq

Basra, Iraq: Two Macedonian contractors kidnapped near the southern Iraqi city of Basra have been released, a British military official said on Monday.

The official said he was unaware if any ransom had been paid for the two men, who work for Ecolog, a German cleaning company, at Basra International Airport, and were kidnapped on Thursday.

Their kidnappers had demanded a $1 million ransom from their employers, who were identified by Macedonian TV as Faruk Ademi and Rasim Ramadani.

Both Macedonians were ethnic Albanians from the western Macedonian town of Tetovo and are among about 1,000 to 1,500 Macedonians working in Iraq. Macedonian authorities have warned their citizens not to go to Iraq.

Macedonia has some 32 soldiers stationed in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition.

Three Macedonian citizens working as construction workers in Iraq were kidnapped south of Baghdad in August 2004. They were confirmed killed in October that year.

More than 200 foreigners and thousands of Iraqis have been abducted since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Most foreign hostages have been released, but 54 are known to have been killed; more than 50 are still believed to be held.