80 Iraqi kidnap victims may still be held

November 17, 2006, 9:59 PM (GMT+02:00)

Despite government claims that most of the 150 captives who were kidnapped from the Iraqi Education Ministry on Tuesday had been freed, Education Minister Abed Theyab said Thursday, Nov. 16, that 80 of them were still being held. The kidnappers tortured and killed some of the victims, his spokesman said.

Meanwhile, US troops killed nine Al-Qaeda in Iraq members south of Baghdad on Thursday.

A Pentagon document is reportedly advising an increase of up to 20,000 troops for one last military push in Iraq.