ROME, Sept 9: An Italian government official flew to the Middle East on Thursday to seek help in securing the release of two female Italian aid workers who were seized earlier this week in Baghdad.

Foreign Ministry under secretary Margherita Boniver will visit five countries during her trip and meet both political and humanitarian representatives - especially from women's groups.

"The main purpose of the trip is to obtain from these people understanding and solidarity concerning the two kidnapped women and I hope this will have an impact in the local media," Boniver said before leaving for her first destination - Egypt.

Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who worked in Iraq for the Italian non-governmental organization Bridge to Baghdad, were abducted by armed men on Tuesday in central Baghdad.

The kidnapping has sent shock waves through Italy, and government and opposition parties have laid aside their normal animosity to launch a joint appeal for the release of the two women, who are both aged 29.

At least five Italians have been kidnapped in Iraq since April and two of them were killed by their captors after Rome refused to bow to demands to withdraw Italian troops sent to Iraq last year following the fall of Baghdad.

Boniver will meet the wife of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during her stay in Cairo and then fly to Lebanon, Jordan, Yemen and Syria. In Beirut, Lebanon's Hizbollah guerrillas in a statement urged the release of the Italians "out of appreciation for their positive stance ... and to express thanks to hundreds of thousands of Italians who demonstrated against the war on Iraq." -Reuters