Iraqi tribal chief frees four hostages

A tribal chief in the turbulent Iraqi city of Fallujah led a raid that freed four Jordanian hostages kidnapped a week ago, it emerged today.

A brother of one of the four hostages, Mohammed abu Jaafar said from Jordan that he had spoken by telephone with his brother Ahmad, who told him: “Now I am free. I was in the hands of evil people. Now I am in the hands of good people.”