U.S. working to find Americans reported missing in Iraq

The US embassy in Baghdad has confirmed that “several” Americans were kidnapped there.

The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it was working with Iraqi authorities to locate Americans reported missing, without confirming that they had been kidnapped. Last week two Iraqi journalists were killed within sight of a police checkpoint in Diyala province north of Baghdad. The men were described as former Iraqi nationals who had obtained American citizenship.

According to Iraqi officials, the three individuals were kidnapped in the Dora neighborhood, which is controlled by Shiite militias, including some backed by Iran that the US government designates as terrorist groups.

The official said they were snatched after being invited into the interpreter’s home in Doura, in southeast Baghdad, and then taken to Sadr city – where all communication was cut off.

Iraqi media said three Americans had been abducted while visiting the home of their Iraqi interpreter in the southern suburb of Doura. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. NBC reported they may have been taken from a vehicle. The embassy didn’t identify them or say what they were doing in Iraq.

Numerous members of the parliament’s security and defense panel confirmed the kidnapping, including official Mohammed al-Karbouli and deputy head Iskandar Witwit.

IS also has ample motive to target Americans, but while it is able to carry out bombings in Baghdad, it does not have a major presence in the city.

Phillip Smyth, a researcher at the University of Maryland who is an expert on Shiite armed groups, posted an online link to an analysis of Iranian proxy forces he wrote about a year ago.

Last month, a Qatari hunting party was kidnapped in Iraq’s south by unidentified gunmen and their whereabouts are still unknown.

Iraq has witnessed a series of abductions of foreign nationals in recent months.

Iraqi security forces clashed with fighters from the powerful Ketaeb Hezbollah militia during the search for the kidnapped Turks.