Four Jordanians kidnapped in Iraq have been freed, sources close to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry told Xinhua on Wednesday.
The four hostages, namely, Ahmad Abu-Jaafar, Mohammad Ahmad Khleifat, Khaled Ibrahim Masoud and Ahmad Tayseer Sunokrot, were freed Tuesday night at the Iraqi city of Fallujah, about 50 km west of Baghdad, the sources said.
The four men have contacted their families and informed them that they will back soon, they added.
Pan-Arab al-Jazeera satellite TV said the four were freed by Iraqi tribesmen led by Sheikh Haj Ibrahim Jassam in a raid on the hideout of the abductors in Fallujah.
The kidnappers fled the scene when being attacked, al-Jazeera added.
The kidnappings became known on July 27 when Dubai Television broadcast a video tape showing the four men holding Jordanian identification cards.
The captors belonging to the "Death Squad of Mujahedeen of Iraq" called on Jordan's transport company to stop cooperation with US forces in Iraq.
Families of the four hostages had previously said the kidnappers promised to free the Jordanians after their relatives and fellow truck drivers staged an anti-US demonstration last Friday.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher said Tuesday Amman was contacting all parties concerned to release all the seven citizens kidnapped in Iraq but did not give any press release in order not to affect these efforts.
Another three Jordanians were still being held by militants in Iraq.
(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2004)
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