Female Iraqi journalist kidnapped by gunmen in Baghdad

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Iraqi Christians walk to attend a Christmas Eve service at the Mar Shimoni church in the town of Bartalla near Mosul on December 24, 2016 for the first time since its recapture from Daesh. (AFP/Safin Hamed)
A female Iraqi reporter was kidnapped Monday after gunmen posing as security forces broke into her home in Baghdad, AFP reported.

Journalist Afrah Shawqi Hammudi was abducted around 10 pm, Ziad al-Ajili of the Journalistic Freedoms Observatory, told AFP.

“They tied up her son and stole mobile phones, computers and cash before kidnapping Afrah and fleeing,” al-Ajili added.

Sources in Iraq’s Interior Ministry confirmed his report. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said security services were doing their best to find her.

Hammudi works for Asharq al-Awsat, a London-based Arabic newspaper, as well as several online news sources.

She had recently published an article slamming the armed groups in Iraq which “act with impunity.”

A recent report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said seven journalists were killed in Iraq in 2016, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.

http://www.albawaba.com/news/female-iraqi-journalist-kidnapped-gunmen-baghdad-919268