Three Americans who were invited to their interpreter’s apartment in Iraq over the weekend then allegedly kidnapped have had their identifies revealed Monday by numerous media sources.
According to Iraqi authorities, the apartment is being called a “brothel”, despite the fact that — culturally — any abode that accepts foreigners in the city is referred to by many locals as such.
An Iraq official has stated on the record that the individuals were abducted from the apartment in the Baghdad neighborhood of Dora then immediately escorted to Sadr City. Once they reached the second destination all communications ceased.
The victims — an Iraqi-American woman Russel Furat, an Iraqi-American man Wael al-Mahdawdy and an Egyptian-American man named Amro Mohammed — all acquired United States citizenship and worked as contractors at Baghdad International Airport.
While no persons or group has yet taken credit for the abduction, many suspect its one of three usual suspects: ISIS (Islamic State, IS, ISIL, Daesh), Shiite militia or local criminal gangs.
“We are in very direct contact with the Iraqi authorities… there is a very full effort going to find them as soon as possible,” Secretary of State John Kerry told FOX News Monday.
Stay tuned to the blog for more on this developing story.