Three Americans kidnapped Friday in Baghdad are being held by an Iranian-backed Shia militia, according to Iraqi intelligence and US government sources.








Gunmen�seized�the three from�a private residence, Iraqi officials said. They are the first Americans to�be abducted in�Iraq since�the withdrawal of�US troops in�2011.

US sources said Washington has no reason to�believe that the kidnappers are acting on�behalf of�Tehran and does not believe the Americans are currently being held in�Iran.
"They were abducted because they are Americans, not for�personal or financial reasons," an Iraqi source in�Baghdad said.


The captives have been identified as�Amro Mohammed, an Egyptian-American, Wael al-Mahdawy, an Iraqi-American, and Russel Furat, an Iraqi-American woman. The three were reportedly working for �General Dynamics, a private company under�contract with�the US Army.


 

The State Department on�Sunday said it was working with�Iraqi authorities to�locate the Americans.

The Iraqi government has struggled to�rein in�local Shi militias, who fought the US military following�the 2003 invasion, and have previously been accused of�abducting and killing United States nationals.

Baghdad-based analyst Hisham al-Hashemi, who advises the government, said the kidnappings were meant to�embarrass and weaken Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is trying to�balance his country's relations with�rival powers Iran and the United States.
"The militias are resentful of�the success of�the army in�Ramadi which was achieved with�the support of�the US-led coalition and without�their involvement," he said.


Shi militias were kept out�of the battle against�Daesh in�Ramadi for�fear of�aggravating sectarian tensions among�the Sunni population in�the city.

By Sputnik