A GROWING number of countries and foreign companies working in Iraq whose nationals or employees have been snatched and threatened with death are bowing to abductors' demands in a hostage crisis that refuses to subside.

The commander of Filipino soldiers in Iraq returned home today ahead of his troops after the Philippines decided to withdraw them to meet a demand by Iraqi insurgents threatening to behead a Filipino hostage.

Hundreds of troops who stormed a downtown shopping and apartment complex today demanding the government resign later ended a 19-hour stand-off and returned to barracks without a shot fired.

TWO bombs exploded yesterday in the southern Philippines city of Zamboanga, killing six people and injuring at least 144.