Iraqi kidnap: Still 25 hostages missing and all universities closed

WATCH VIDEO

Iraq's higher education minister immediately ordered all universities to close until security improvements have been made. The minister told parliament he had no choice but to shut down the institutions. But some students are asking the authorities not to do so.

Hashim Khalif, student said, “We call upon the Minister not to stop us from studying. We will risk coming to the University to complete the academic year despite the hard circumstances. We want better security in and around the university.”

The higher education minister says he has repeatedly petitioned for more university security. But he said the ministries of defense and interior, which commands the police, had not responded. A professor of a Baghdad-based university said he wasn't surprised by the kidnapping.

Professor Taqi al- Musawi, president of al-Mustansiriyah University said, “There are circumstances which happened today, the kidnapping of some of the officers at the Ministry of Higher and of course there events happen all the time in Iraq and we are not surprised by the event.”

The Interior Minister spokesman said the police chief and some officers in the Karrada neighborhood -- where the kidnapping occurred -- have been placed under investigation. The abductions appear to be the boldest in a series of killings and other attacks in Iraq.

 

Editor:Sun Luying