Men allegedly wearing uniforms of the Iraqi security forces abducted a group of 17 Palestinians in Baghdad early on Tuesday, The Associated Press quoted the U.N. refugee agency as saying. Several uniformed men entered the building rented by UNHCR at 5 a.m. (0200 GMT), broke doors and windows and took away 17 Palestinian men but left women behind, the agency's spokesman Ron Redmond told reporters. Some of the Palestinians were released later on Tuesday, he said. But Redmond was unable to say how many and how they were released. «UNHCR is very concerned and is seeking information on the Palestinians' whereabouts from Iraqi authorities,» he said. Redmond said around 15,000 Palestinians lived in Baghdad as refugees, but faced constant threats and were unable to move freely.
