Iraq in talks with Syria over kidnapping of Iraqi citizen in Homs

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is closely monitoring the case of an Iraqi citizen who was kidnapped in the village of Al-Bayadiyah, in the city of Homs, Syria.

In a statement, the ministry said the kidnapped individual is from Basra and was abducted on Aug. 24. “Our embassy in Damascus, through the chargé d’affaires, is conducting intensive communications with the senior security authorities in the Syrian Arab Republic to ensure his release as soon as possible,” the statement said.

The ministry added that Syrian authorities have arrested several individuals involved in the kidnapping. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its appreciation for the ongoing cooperation from Syrian authorities and “reaffirms its commitment to following up on this case until the Iraqi citizen is released and safely returned to his homeland.”

The ministry also urged Iraqi residents and visitors in Syria to maintain communication with the Iraqi embassy in Damascus and avoid unsafe areas to ensure their safety.