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French Christian charity workers kidnapped in Iraq are freed

The three French nationals and an Iraqi were abducted in Baghdad on January 20th at a time of heightened tensions.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

Four workers from a French Christian charity who were kidnapped in Iraq in January have been freed, President Emmanuel Macron's office said, reports the BBC.

The three French nationals and an Iraqi were abducted in Baghdad on 20 January at a time of heightened tensions.

Their release came a day after France said it would withdraw its troops from Iraq due to the coronavirus pandemic.

France's presidential Elysée Palace said it had made "every effort to reach this outcome".

"The president of the republic welcomes the release of our three nationals Antoine Brochon, Julien Dittmar, Alexandre Goodarzy and Iraqi Tariq Mattoka," it said in a statement.

Read more of this report from the BBC.