Four journalists working for US television network NBC who were kidnapped in the Iraqi city of Fallujah this week were released by their Iraqi captors yesterday, NBC News said.
Armed Iraqis detained correspondent Ned Colt, cameraman Maurice Roper, soundman Robert Colvill and Iraqi freelancer Ashraf Al Taie on Tuesday in the city west of Baghdad, where several other journalists have been kidnapped since April.
"They were released Friday morning Iraq time, with the assistance of local leaders, after their identities as working journalists became clear. They appear to be in good health," a statement from NBC News said.
The US military said it did not encourage Western media to report independently in Fallujah, where the killing of four US contractors two months ago sparked a month of heavy fighting between insurgents and US Marines.
"The crew's decision to enter the city was irresponsible; luckily it did not cost them or anyone else their lives," a US military statement said.
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