Iraq calls on ‘friends’ to find captives

Search for Qatari royals stepped up by PM’s appeal

BAGHDAD // Iraq’s prime minister said “friendly” neighbouring countries have been contacted over the fate of Qatari ruling family members and others kidnapped in late 2015, adding that an official from Doha is in the country “to help in their release”.

Haider Al Abadi’s comments on Tuesday came as suspicion over the December 2015 kidnappings fell on Shiite mili- tias, suggesting Iraq may have reached out to Iran to secure their release.

“We asked all friendly countries to Iraq and neighbouring countries to Iraq to cooperate with us to find these kidnapped individuals,” Mr Al Abadi said.

The Iraqi premier also said Qatar’s non-resident ambassador had come to Iraq to help in securing the captives’ freedom. A Qatari aircraft used by the ruling family is in Baghdad.

The abduction took place at dawn on December 16, 2015, at a desert camp near the Saudi border in the southern Muthanna province, about 370 kilometres south-east of Baghdad. Gunmen kidnapped about two dozen Qataris and support staff who were taking part in falconry.

In April 2016, the Qatari foreign ministry said one of the hunters and “his Asian companion” were freed, but no word of the hostages has been made public since.

Muthanna is a predominantly Shiite province and is not a region where ISIL extremists are known to operate.

Last week, it was reported that a Qatari ruling family member paid US$2 million (Dh7.34m) in an effort involving hackers to secure the hostages’ release.