The US Embassy in Baghdad has confirmed that “several” Americans have been kidnapped there. “We are working with the full cooperation of the Iraqi authorities to locate and recover the individuals,” said a state department official. Unconfirmed reports from Iraqi security circles said three Americans and an Iraqi translator were seized on the southern side of Baghdad. But US officials did not say how many were held or where they were seized, BBC reported. “A company filed a report on Sunday about three of its staff going missing two days ago. They are American contractors. We are looking into this report,” the senior security official said. “The safety and security of American citizens overseas is our highest priority,” said US State Department official, John Kirby. If it turns out to be a serious kidnapping, it would be a major blow to hopes for stability and progress in Iraq.
