Two kidnapped Macedonian contractors were released Monday in the southern city of Basra, a British official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was unauthorized to comment to the media, declined to say how the men were released nor where they currently were. The two men worked for a Macedonian cleaning company at Basra International Airport and were abducted Thursday. Their kidnappers demanded a US$1 million (¤840,000) ransom from their employers. It was unclear if any ransom had been paid, the Associated Press reported.
