3 American Contractors Kidnapped in Baghdad; Abducted from an Apartment Used as a Brothel

The U.S. embassy in Iraq has confirmed that three Americans have been kidnapped in Baghdad, the Clarion Project website reports today (January 18, 2016).

The Americans -- who worked as contractors at Baghdad International Airport -- were kidnapped in the southern neighborhood of Dora on January 17.

State Department spokesperson John Kirby said, "The safety and security of American citizens overseas is our highest priority. We are working with the full cooperation of the Iraqi authorities to locate and recover the individuals."

The three -- two men and a woman -- were kidnapped by Shiite Muslim militiamen who raided a second-floor apartment. According to a police major general as well as a neighbor, the apartment was being used as a brothel. Raids on brothels in the neighborhood have occurred previously and the men were merely told to leave.