Report: 2nd Bulgarian Hostage Dead
Politics | July 24, 2004, Saturday| 10023 views
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The death of the second Bulgarian hostage in Iraq Ivaylo Kepov (pictured) has been confirmed by Iraqi officials, local bTV channel says. Photo by al-Jazeera
The body found two days ago near the Tigris River was that of Ivaylo Kepov, the second Bulgarian hostage in Iraq, Bulgarian bTV channel reported.
The TV channel cited the spokesperson of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, who said that the remains found Wednesday night on the banks of the Tigris in the town of Beiji were those the second Bulgarian hostage Kepov.
The decapitated body found on Wednesday was clad in an orange prison-style jumpsuit that kidnappers have forced some captives to wear before beheading them. Beside the body there was a head in a sack.
Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry couldn't confirm the death of the second hostage. Victoria Melamed, head of the Foreign Ministry's Information and PR Directorate, said that Bulgaria is still investigating into the reports.
Interior Chief Secretary General-leutenant Boyko Borisov also said that no Bulgarian official has seen the body so the death couldn't be confirmed yet.
Bulgarian truck drivers Ivaylo Kepov, 32, and Georgi Lazov, 30, were abducted June 29 near the northern city of Mosul. A group affiliated with al-Zarqawi said it kidnapped the Bulgarians and demanded Iraqi detainees be released in exchange for their lives. The group later sent a tape to Al-Jazeera television that showed Lazov being killed. His death was official confirmed on Thursday.
MORE about the Hostages Crisis READ in For the Record SectionThe TV channel cited the spokesperson of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, who said that the remains found Wednesday night on the banks of the Tigris in the town of Beiji were those the second Bulgarian hostage Kepov.
The decapitated body found on Wednesday was clad in an orange prison-style jumpsuit that kidnappers have forced some captives to wear before beheading them. Beside the body there was a head in a sack.
Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry couldn't confirm the death of the second hostage. Victoria Melamed, head of the Foreign Ministry's Information and PR Directorate, said that Bulgaria is still investigating into the reports.
Interior Chief Secretary General-leutenant Boyko Borisov also said that no Bulgarian official has seen the body so the death couldn't be confirmed yet.
Bulgarian truck drivers Ivaylo Kepov, 32, and Georgi Lazov, 30, were abducted June 29 near the northern city of Mosul. A group affiliated with al-Zarqawi said it kidnapped the Bulgarians and demanded Iraqi detainees be released in exchange for their lives. The group later sent a tape to Al-Jazeera television that showed Lazov being killed. His death was official confirmed on Thursday.
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