Jordanian hostage freed

Published February 22, 2006

AMMAN, Feb 21: Jordan’s Prime Minister Maaruf Bakhit announced on Tuesday the release of a Jordanian embassy driver held hostage in Iraq since December, the state-run Petra news agency reported.

Saaidiyat was snatched in southern Baghdad on Dec 20 by a group calling itself the Hawks Brigade who threatened four times to kill him.

“The efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah and his daily follow-up of all state agencies to secure the release of the Jordanian hostage Mahmud Saaidiyat held in Iraq have borne fruit,” Mr Bakhit told Petra.—AFP

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