'Several' Americans Missing in Iraq

The US Embassy in Baghdad confirms that "several" Americans are missing in Iraq after local media reported that three Americans had been kidnapped in the Iraqi capital. US Embassy spokesman Scott Bolz said Sunday that "We are working in full cooperation with Iraqi authorities to locate the missing Americans." His comments came after the Arab news channel, al-Arabiya, citing its own sources, reported that three Americans had been kidnapped by militias in Baghdad:

• We are reporting on Al Arabiya according to well informed sources that 3 #Americans have been kidnapped in #Baghdad by Militia members.—Talal Al-Haj (@TalalAlhaj) January 17, 2016

The incident comes after a week that has seen a deterioration of security in and around the Iraqi capital after months of relative calm. The Islamic State group claimed a number of attacks in Baghdad and Diyala province last week that killed more than 50 people, including a high profile attack on a mall in the Iraqi capital. (More Baghdad stories.)