Masked men kidnap 18 sleeping Turkish citizins

Early Wednesday morning the Iraqi capital was disturbed after masked men wearing military uniforms abducted 18 Turkish citizens working at a construction site. 

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The kidnappers bound the citizens and shoved them into SUVs before driving off. The operation showcased security gaps in the heavily defended city, taking officials by surprise, according to the New York Times. The responsible group, as well as their motives remain unknown.

Iraqi and Turkish officials announced the 18 victims were all employed by the construction company Nurol Isaat. 

Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic said of the 18 abducted people, 14 were workers, three engineers and an accountant who was working a contract to build a sports complex in the Shiite district of Sadr City. 

The construction workers were sleeping inside caravans on-site when the incident occurred. What appeared to be military men stormed onto the site after breaking down the doors and disarming the guards. The masked men then successfully abducted the employees.

Bilgic noted that the masked kidnappers had specific targets, namely Turkish nationals, evidenced by the remaining workers from other countries at the site. 

Iraqi officials reported one Iraqi national was taken along with the Turkish citizens.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi blamed organized crime for the abductions and refused to elaborate.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus told reporters "the Iraqi authorities, for the time being, do not have information on how the incident occurred or who captured them."

Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan told The Associated Press in Baghdad that they are still investigating the situation.

ISIS and criminal gangs have both kidnapped foreigners in the past, but the identities of the masked abductors remain unknown. 

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