Al Qaeda claimed responsibility Saturday for kidnapping two Algerian diplomats this week. The chief of Algeria's diplomatic mission, Ali Belaroussi, and fellow envoy Azzedine Belkadi were seized Thursday at gunpoint from the Mansour district of western Baghdad.
An Internet statement Saturday stated the "head of the Algerian mission was taken from the most-secured of areas."
Meanwhile, attacks continued Saturday against Iraqi police and civilians, leaving at least six dead. Among the dead were three Fallujah police officers found slain Saturday, police said, according to The AP. Also, gunmen traveling in two cars shot and killed a Ministry of Interior employee Friday night, police Capt. Mohammed al-Obeidi said Saturday.
