Two Iraqi journalists kidnapped at gunpoint in Baghdad

Two Iraqi journalists from a privately owned local TV station were kidnapped in Baghdad on Wednesday after a press conference held by a Sunni Arab political party, police and a station employee said. Marwan Ghazal and Reem Zaeed, from Samaria TV, were abducted by armed men in western Baghdad's Yarmouk district following a meeting held at the Iraqi Islamic Party's headquarters, said station cameraman Adel Naji.

Two TV cameramen with the journalists were released by the gunmen, Naji said. Police Lt. Maitham Abdul-Razzaq said six gunmen in two cars blocked the reporters' car as they tried to leave the area and kidnapped them at gun point.

There have been no demands made by the kidnappers for the journalists' release as yet.

The kidnappings follow the abduction of U.S. freelance journalist Jill Carroll on Jan. 7 in Baghdad. Her kidnappers, a previously unknown group identified as The Revenge Brigade, has threatened to kill the 28-year-old reporter unless all Iraqi female detainees are released.

On Monday, a video was aired by Qatar-based satellite station Al-Jazeera showing Carroll wearing an Islamic veil and weeping in footage. U.S. officials said they have ruled out meeting the kidnappers' demand to release all Iraqi women in detention.

Reporters Without Borders, an international journalist advocacy group, said it would send representatives to the Middle East to promote a campaign in the Arab media for Carroll's release. More than 250 foreigners have been taken captive since the war started and at least 39 have been killed, reports the AP.

D.M.