German curator kidnapped in Iraq freed in security operation

A German arts curator who was kidnapped earlier this week was freed Friday by Iraqi security forces, security and government officials said.

Hella Mewis was freed at 6:25 a.m. local time (0325 GMT) in an operation southeast of the capital Baghdad in which security forces raided a location based on intelligence they obtained regarding her whereabouts, a security official said. A second security official said she had been found blindfolded.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give official press statements.

Iraqi security forces comprised of Interior Ministry personnel, intelligence officials and the federal police had worked to free Mewis by monitoring surveillance footage, among other methods, a statement from the Interior Ministry said.

Brig. Khaled Al-Muhanna, a spokesman for the ministry, said the kidnappers had not been arrested. The statement said an investigation was under way to bring the perpetrators to justice.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement later Friday that Mewis was handed over to the German Embassy in Baghdad. Maas said he was “very relieved” Mewis is free.

He thanked the Iraqi government and security authorities, “who supported us comprehensively during this time and contributed decisively to this case ending well.”

Mewis was reported missing by friends and activists Tuesday. Security officials said she was kidnapped outside the Baghdad arts center where she worked. There was no claim of responsibility and officials didn't say who was behind the kidnapping.

Mewis is well known in Iraq’s art scene and an ardent supporter of mass anti-government protests. Her abduction prompted alarm among Iraqi activists and other foreigners living in the country. It came two weeks after the killing of prominent Iraqi researcher and commentator Hisham al-Hashimi by unknown gunmen.

Maas said during a visit to Athens on Tuesday that the German Foreign Ministry had established a crisis task force to deal with Mewis’ disappearance.

Mewis is a beloved figure in the capital, where she has resided for seven years and runs an arts program for young Iraqis. She was often seen on her bicycle zipping along bustling Karada Street, an unusual sight in Baghdad, where foreigners are often cautious of the unpredictable security situation.

(ABC)