King congratulates Qatar on release of hostages

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday congratulated Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani over the phone for the return of two Qataris who were kidnapped in Iraq, according to a Royal Court statement. They also discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.

Two Qatari hunters who endured a 16-month hostage ordeal in Iraq spoke Sunday of their joy at being released, in their first public comments, Agence France-Presse reported on Sunday.

They flew back to Doha on Friday following their release under a complex regional deal linked to the Syrian civil war, AFP reported, adding that the hunting party, believed to include prominent members of the Qatari royal family, were captured in mid-December 2015 and held captive until they were freed on Friday, AFP reported.