A reporter, a photographer and a camera crew member of the Joint Media Team Malaysia (JMTM) were freed Saturday and have returned to their hotel in Baghdad, Ahmad A. Talib, head of JMTM, was quoted as saying by the Bernama news agency.

The journalists were covering relief work by the Malaysian Medical Relief Society when they were ambushed and kidnapped by Iraqi militia.

Upon learning they were Malaysian, the militia released the three and sent them to Al-Quds Hospital near Baghdad, Ahmad said.

Ahmad, who is also group editor for the New Straits Times, said the journalists and the relief workers were travelling in two vans from the Sheraton Hotel to the Al-Khindi Hospital and Al-Yarmuk Hospital near the Iraqi capital when armed Iraqi militia started shooting towards the relief workers' van.

Two of the Malaysian relief workers were injured and their Iraqi interpreter was killed during the ambush.

Acting Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi earlier confirmed that the three journalists had been released just hours after announcing the kidnapping.

He identified the three as New Straits Times photographer Anuar Hashim, Omar Salleh, a cameraman with state-run Radio Televisyen Malaysia and Terence Fernandez, a reporter for the Sun newspaper.

Abdullah expressed gratitude for their release and advised the JMTM members to be more careful in carrying out their work in Iraq.

"They must take into consideration the hazards that they may face when moving from one area to another," he said.

Abdullah said the remaining Malaysian journalists should leave Baghdad "if the situation gets too dangerous."

Since Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed on Wednesday, Baghdad has been overcome by widespread looting and lawlessness.

Abdullah urged the United States to take the initiative to restore law and order in Iraq to ensure the people's safety.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said that his ministry would seek help from the coalition forces in Iraq to protect the Malaysian relief workers and Malaysian journalists there.

"We will seek help from the coalition forces to protect the ... volunteer team and our media team. There is anarchy in Baghdad now with many ambushes and so forth," Syed Hamid said.

Malaysia had paid for some 30 local journalists to cover the war in Iraq because of the perceived bias of Western media.

SPACE.WIRE