Foreign hostages released as 22 more die in Iraq

News of the freedom of four Jordanian and two Turkish hostages was dampened by the deaths of 22 more people in continued violence in Iraq on Wednesday.

The four Jordanian drivers, kidnapped by a group named "Death Squad of Mujahedeen of Iraq" about a week ago, were freed Tuesday night in Fallujah, about 50 km west of the capital, sources close to the Jordanian Foreign Ministry told Xinhua in Amman on Wednesday.

The four have told their families that they will be back soon, the sources said.

They were "in a safe place" and "in good health," spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry al Ayed told reporters.

The kidnappers demanded the drivers' employer, a Jordanian transport company, stop cooperating with the US-led coalition forces, but the spokesman said his government has not met any demands made by the kidnappers.

Another two Turkish drivers seized by the Tawhid and Jihad, a military group linked to al-Qaeda's suspected ally, Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, were freed because their company decided to stop working in Iraq, Qater-based al-Jazeera satellite TV channel quoted the group as saying on Wednesday.

"Due to the Turkish company's decision to stop sending supplies to US forces in Iraq, the Tawhid and Jihad decided to free the two Turkish hostages," said a videotaped statement of the group broadcast on the channel.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul confirmed the release. "This good news has made us happy," he was quoted as saying by Turkey's Anatolia news agency.

FIGHTING IN MOSUL KILLS 22

News of the hostages' freedom, however, was dampened by continued violence in the Iraq. In the northern city of Mosul, 14 civilians and eight gunmen were killed in clashes between Iraqi police and the gunmen, the US military said.

Earlier on Wednesday, al-Jazeera reported that dozens of masked men with assault rifles and rocket propelled grenade launchers clashed in the streets with Iraqi security forces.

The fierce battle broke out at about 12:45 p.m. (0845 GMT) in the southwestern part of the city on the west bank of the Tigris river amid loud explosions and heavy gunfire, al-Jazeera said.

Iraqi police sealed off two scenes of the battle and shop owners closed their businesses, it added.

It was not clear what caused the clashes.

UN CONTINUES EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH FORCES FOR PROTECTING STAFF IN IRAQ

The United Nations is still struggling to put together a multinational force to protect its staff and facilities in Iraq, nearly two months after the Security Council approved creation of such a force to facilitate the UN's return to Iraq.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told reporters on Wednesday that the world body had been in negotiations with about half a dozen countries but so far got no "firm offers."

The Security Council adopted a resolution in early June, giving the United Nations a leading role in Iraq's political transition and authorizing the establishment of a force dedicated to providing security for the UN staff.

Annan said he noticed Saudi Arabia's proposal to create an Islamic force to protect the UN staff and eventually take over the peacekeeping authority from the US-led multinational force.

"But, even if that is going to happen, I think it is going to take some time," Annan said, adding that with the absence of the protection force, the UN will have to rely on the US-led international troops for protection.

Annan said whether the UN staff will return to Iraq in large numbers depends on the security situation in the country.

NATO TO SEND ADVANCE TEAM TO IRAQ SOON

In Brussels, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has decided to send an advance 40-member team to Iraq under the command of a Dutch general soon, a NATO official said Wednesday.

Some members of the team are expected to leave for Iraq within this week, and the rest will go next week, the official said.

The mission's tasks include liaising with the Iraqi interim government and US-led coalition forces, helping Iraq establish defense and military headquarters and identifying Iraqi personnel for training outside the country.

The decision to send the mission was made on July 30 after three days of closed-door debates in Brussels.

EGYPT NOT TO SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ

In Cairo, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit reiterated Wednesday that his country would not send troops to Iraq.

"Egypt's position on sending forces to Iraq is clear. It rejects sending any forces there," Abul Gheit told reporters, in response to a Saudi proposal that Arab and Islamic forces replace the US-led coalition troops.

"What has been brought up about sending Arab and Islamic forces is merely a proposal, which the United States and Arab parties are still looking at," he said.

Source: Xinhua