Italian woman reporter kidnapped in Baghdad

An Italian woman journalist was kidnapped near Baghdad University today.

Iraqi police officials said Giuliana Sgrenas was seized by four gunmen in a car near a bridge over the Tigris river.

Mainardo Bernedeli, a diplomat at Italy’s embassy, confirmed a reporter with the newspaper Il Manifesto, had been seized but did not elaborate.

Sgrena is at least the second Italian journalist kidnapped in Iraq, and at least the ninth Italian citizen seized overall in Iraq in recent months.

Two Italian women aid workers were freed from captivity last year after an alleged $1m (€771,000) ransom was paid.

Freelance Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni disappeared in August and was reported killed.

French journalist Florence Aubenas, who works for the daily newspaper Liberation. disappeared on January 5 after she left her Baghdad hotel.