DUBAI, Dec 16: London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper said it would temporarily shut its office in the Iraqi capital Baghdad as of Thursday after receiving threats.

The pan-Arab daily said armed men calling themselves the mujahideen threatened on Monday to blow up the office if the newspaper did not publish a story within one week about a militant who had allegedly led battles in Fallujah.

"Asharq al-Awsat does not respond to threats or publish news under threat of arms ... The decision to close the office was taken to protect the safety of our journalists," it said in its latest edition. -Reuters