Indonesia welcomes release of hostages in Iraq

Indonesia has today welcomed the release of two of its nationals who had been held hostage in Iraq, and reiterated earlier warnings for all its citizens to immediately leave the war-torn country.

“This is a happy ending,” Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said. “Often cases like this end in disaster.”

The two women, Rosidah binti Anan and Rafikan binti Aming, were handed over to the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Baghdad last night.

Abu Dhabi TV broadcast footage of the pair in long black cloaks known as abayas, sitting quietly in a lounge at the embassy. They appeared nervous but unharmed as they sat between officials.

The women were working as maids in Iraq. They were among 10 people – including two Lebanese and six Iraqis – kidnapped by militants calling themselves the Islamic Army in Iraq. They were first seen Thursday in a video broadcast on Arabic TV station Al-Jazeera. The kidnappers later demanded that Indonesia release terror suspect Abu Bakar Bashir in exchange for the women.

Foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natelagawa said the two women would be arriving back in Jakarta in “three or four” days.

He also called all Indonesian nationals, which he said were believed to number around 50, still in Iraq to leave immediately.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, opposed the war in Iraq and has been a vocal critic of the U.S. occupation.

More than 140 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq by a range of groups, some holding them for ransom while others have set political conditions for their release. At least 26 hostages have been killed.

The Islamic Army in Iraq also claimed responsibility for kidnapping two French journalists who disappeared with their Syrian driver on Aug. 21. The fate of those kidnapped with the two Indonesian women was not known.