Algerian diplomatic staff abducted in Baghdad

Algeria’s top envoy to Iraq, another diplomat, and their driver were abducted today in a western Baghdad neighbourhood, police and embassy employees said.

Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the abduction took place this afternoon in the Mansour district. They said they had no further information.

An embassy employee said by telephone that the chief of mission, Balarousi Ali, “was abducted 15 minutes ago” and that Algerian staff “have no further information”.

Police officials said the envoy, along with another diplomat, was kidnapped near the al-Sa’a restaurant in Mansour when his car was stopped by gunmen in two cars who dragged him from his vehicle.

Earlier this month, gunmen ambushed three other top diplomats from Muslim countries in western Baghdad, all in apparent bids to scare off foreign governments and isolate Iraq from the Arab world.

Insurgents claimed to have killed one, the Egyptian top envoy. Bahrain’s top envoy was slightly wounded, and Pakistan’s ambassador escaped injury in those attacks.

A total of 49 countries or entities have some form of diplomatic representation in Iraq, including 18 Arab or non-Arab Muslim countries, according to Iraq’s Foreign Ministry and country websites.