User:Geo Swan/Nour Ahmad Nikbakht
Nour Ahmad Nikbakht | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Iran |
| Occupation | diplomat |
| Known for | captured and held hostage by Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula |
Nour Ahmad Nikbakht is an Iranian diplomat, who was captured and held hostage by the radical jihadist group Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.[1] He was captured in Sanaa in July 2013.[2]
In January 2015 Iranian officials feared that Nikbahkt had been beheaded.[3]
The BBC News reported that Nikbakht was freed to return to Iran in March 2015 by an Iranian "operation".[3] They reported it was not clear whether this "operation" included violence. Al Jazeera, on the other hand, quoting Iranian officials report he was rescued during a paramilitary attack, "executed with the fewest possible casualties".[4]
In September 2015 Iran and AQAP agreed to an exchange of prisoners, and Al Arabiya reported that Nikbakht was traded for Saif al-Adel and four other men.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b
"Iran is getting rid of its terrorist trash… for now". Al Arabiya. 2015-09-20. Archived from the original on 2015-09-22.
The five men were reportedly part of a prisoner-exchange operation with Al Qaeda's branch in Yemen, which is said to be holding Iranian diplomat Nour Ahmad Nikbakht.
- ^
"Iran embassy employee abducted in Yemen". Al Jazeera. 2013-07-21. Archived from the original on 2013-08-03. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
In Tehran, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi told the ISNA news agency on Sunday that 'one of the administrative staff members of the Iranian Embassy in Yemen has been abducted by an unknown group.'
- ^ a b
"Iranian 'operation' in Yemen frees kidnapped diplomat". BBC News. 2015-03-05. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
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"Kidnapped Iranian diplomat rescued in Yemen". Al Jazeera. 2015-03-05. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
An Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Yemen and held hostage for nearly two years has been rescued in a military operation and returned to Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)