Iraqi official released by kidnappers in Turkey arrives home safely — source

Baghdad (Iraqinews.com) – A local provincial official who was released by kidnappers in Turkey last week has arrived home safely in the wee hours of Friday.

“A plane which carries Nae’em al-Kaud, a member of Anbar provincial council, has landed safely at Baghdad international airport coming from Turkey early Friday,” a source, who preferred to be unnamed, told Baghdad Today.

Al-Kaud had been kidnapped last week in Turkey along with one of his bodyguards before having been released Thursday.

Early Thursday, the Iraqi foreign ministry said it was following developments in relation to Kaud’s kidnapping, but explained it was maintaining secrecy of the details for his safety.

Hamid al-Elwani, the chairman of Anbar province council, told Almaalomah news website that Kaud had been duped by a group pretending to be investors from a neighboring country, and lured him away towards an unknown destination.

The identity of his kidnappers has not been revealed yet.

Al-Kaud also serves as head of the security committee in Anbar provincial council.

Relations between Turkey and Iraq have undergone strained turbulence from late 2011. The two countries, however, share a close historical and cultural heritage.

Turkey had an embassy in Baghdad, and a consulate general in Mosul until its diplomats were kidnapped by Islamic State, while Iraq has embassies in Ankara and Istanbul.