Seven Iraqi hostages freed

Seven hostages who all worked for a Kuwaiti trucking company have been freed in Iraq, their employer said today.

The three Kenyans, three Indians and one Egyptian were abducted July 21.

The kidnappers had repeatedly changed their demands and extended deadlines set for killing the seven.

On Friday, Rana Abu-Zaineh of Kuwait and Gulf Link Transport said her company would stop work in Iraq in compliance with the demands of the kidnappers.

A day earlier, the kidnappers had released a video showing the hostages and declaring it would release the men if their company agreed to stop working in Iraq. The video broadcast by Al-Arabiya television showed the seven men sitting on the ground while a voice off screen read a statement.

Militants in Iraq have kidnapped more than 100 foreigners in recent months in an effort to push countries to withdraw their troops from the coalition and to pressure companies doing business here to leave.

A gruesome video purportedly showing the execution of 12 Nepalese hostages was shown on an Islamic website yesterday.