Secretary-General’s Spokesman Welcomes Release, Repatriation of Qatari Nationals Abducted in Iraq

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

We welcome the release and return to their country of 26 Qatari nationals abducted in Muthanna Governorate, Iraq, in December 2015.

We understand that the Qatari nationals were released unharmed.  We are grateful to the Iraqi authorities and to all who contributed to the safe release of the abductees.