Militants in Iraq freed four Jordanians and two Turkish drivers after taking them hostage to put pressure on their companies to stop working in the country, relatives and media said on Wednesday.
The four Jordanians, who were freed in the Iraqi town of Fallujah on Tuesday night, will be handed over to Jordanian diplomats in Baghdad later on Wednesday, relatives told Reuters.
"They are now staying in the home of Haji Ibrahim Mohammad in the town of Fallujah. They spent the night in his house after their release last night by their kidnappers," said Mohammad Hassan Abu Jafaar, the brother of Ahmad Hassan Abu Jafaar, one of the four drivers seized nine days ago.
Al Jazeera television reported that a militant group had released two Turkish drivers it was holding hostage because their companies had agreed to stop working in Iraq.
"Due to the Turkish firm's decision to stop sending supplies to US forces in Iraq, the Tawhid and Jihad Group has decided to free the two Turkish hostages," a videotaped statement from the group broadcast on the Arabic-language channel said.
In Amman, a government source confirmed the release of four Jordanians and said local mediators were making preparations for their hand over to embassy officials in Baghdad.
Maher Sinoqrut, brother of freed hostage Ahmad Sinoqrut, 26, credited tribal leaders and local elders, who were asked by Jordan to act as mediators, for securing their release.
Maher said his brother had telephoned him on Tuesday night to say he had been freed and was in good health.