BAGHDAD, July 21: Two Algerian diplomats, including the charge d’affaires, were kidnapped in broad daylight near their Baghdad embassy on Thursday, as an Iraqi committee put the final touches to a new constitution. This was the second high-profile kidnapping this month after the abduction of Egyptian ambassador-designate Ihab al-Sharif on July 2 from a Baghdad street. The envoy was later killed.

The Algerian foreign ministry identified the kidnap victims as Ali Belaroussi, the charge d’affaires, who has been in Iraq for nearly two years, and Azzedin Belkadi , who arrived in Baghdad less than a month ago.

A third Algerian diplomat in Baghdad, Abdel Wahab Fellah, told AFP he witnessed the kidnapping as he drove down the street leading to his embassy.—AFP