Poland says it will not withdraw its troops from Iraq, following demands from a militant group that has kidnapped one of its nationals there.
Al-Jazeera television aired a video of the kidnapped woman Thursday and quoted the previously unknown militant group, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Fundamentalist Brigades, as saying she works for U.S. forces in Iraq. The group says it will free her only if Polish soldiers leave Iraq and female prisoners are released.
Both Iraqi and Polish officials say they have confirmed the woman's identity, but would only say she is a long-time Iraqi resident with Iraqi nationality.
Meanwhile, the aid group CARE International has closed down its operations in Iraq following the abduction last week of its director there, Margaret Hassan.
The two women hostages are among dozens of people who have been kidnapped by militants in Iraq over the last several months.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP, Reuters.