Terror fears as Qatari royal family members ‘kidnapped’ by 100 gunmen

About 100 gunmen reportedly kidnapped at
 least 26 Qataris – including members of its royal family – from their desert hunting camp in Iraq, it has emerged.

The kidnappings took place near the
 Saudi border in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police confirmed the kidnappings and
 said Iraqi security forces had launched a wide-scale search for
 the Qataris in the area, a largely desolate expanse where armed
 militia groups predominate.

“An armed group driving dozens of pickup trucks kidnapped at
 least 26 Qatari hunters from their camp in the area of Busaya in
 the Samawa desert near the Saudi border,” Samawa governor Falih
al-Zayady said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the mass
abduction.

Hunters from various rich Gulf states often make
 trips to Iraq’s southern desert at this time of year.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said a group of its citizens were
 kidnapped in Iraq while on a hunting trip. It did not mention
 how many were in the group.

In a statement, the ministry said it was working with the
 Iraqi government to secure their release “as soon as possible”.

It added that the hunters had entered Iraqi territory with an permit from Iraq’s Interior Ministry.

-Daily Mirror