Three Romanian journalists and their translator, held in Iraq since March 28th, were released today and are with Romanian officials, the Romanian presidency said.
"They are well and safe and they'll be brought home as soon as possible," the presidency said in a statement. The circumstances of their release were not immediately clear. Kidnappers had threatened to kill them unless Romania, a staunch supporter of the United States, pulled its 800 troops out of Iraq.
A deadline for their execution expired on April 27th. Romania made clear it would not withdraw its troops. The journalists were seized in Baghdad along with their guide who has Romanian, US and Iraqi citizenship.
Prima TV reporter Marie Jeanne Ion, cameraman Sorin Miscoci and reporter for Romania Liberadaily Ovidiu Ohanesian had been shown in a video sitting on the floor barefoot, apparently handcuffed. Masked men stood by with guns. The video identified the kidnappers as the previously unknown "Squadrons of Mu'adh bin Jebel", which refers to a figure from early Islamic history.
It separately showed two men pointing guns at the head of a fourth hostage, Mohamad Munaf, the journalists' translator.