Eleven Russians working for an energy company in Iraq have been kidnapped, Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV quoted a Russian official source as saying Monday.  

The report said that the Russians, who work for a Russian energy company, Russian International Company for Energy Services, were taken hostages after their Iraqi bodyguards exchanged fires with the abductors. Two body guards were killed in the clash.

Al-Jazeera quoted its director of Moscow studio, Akram Chasam, as saying that a Russian employee of the company in Baghdad confirmed the kidnapping.

Also on Monday, the seven Chinese workers kidnapped on Sunday were released and handed over to Chinese diplomats in Baghdad on Monday.

Sun Bigan, head of the team responsible for the re-establishment of the Chinese Embassy in Baghdad, told Xinhua that the Chinese were safe now.

A Xinhua correspondent said the released men seemed in good spirit and some of them were determined to open their business in Iraq dealing with construction materials.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2004)