BAGHDAD, Jan 18: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped eight Chinese workers in Iraq on Tuesday and threatened to kill them in 48 hours unless Beijing "clarified" its "role" in the country.

China's foreign ministry said it was taking "all measures" to rescue the hostages, who were construction workers taking part in a project to rebuild an Iraqi plant, the official Xinhua news agency said.

"We captured these Chinese as they were trying to leave Iraq. Interrogations showed they worked for one of the Chinese companies helping to build American facilities in Iraq," said a voice on the video as two gunmen with a pistol and an AK-47 assault rifle stood beside the eight men.

Xinhua quoted sources as saying the Chinese workers' building project had no link to US-led forces in Iraq. The kidnappers, their faces covered by chequered he addresses, were identified as fighters from the Movement of the Islamic Resistance Nuamaan Brigade, apparently named after an ancient Muslim warrior.

Dressed in winter coats, they looked on and pointed their weapons at the eight men, who stood silently on a dirt floor outside in front of a cement wall. The hostages held up the picture pages of their passports, which showed they were from China's south eastern province of Fujian and aged between 17 and 39.

"At a time when the position of the Chinese government towards our cause was clear - not taking part in invasion forces and their aggression against our country," said the voice on the video.

"We call on the Chinese government to clarify its position on them and other Chinese. We will kill them 48 hours after their pictures are televised unless that is done." -Reuters