7 hostages released in Iraq,including two women

Kidnappers released two female Italian aid workers and five other hostages Tuesday, raising hopes for foreigners still in captivity. But insurgents showed no sign of easing their blood-soaked campaign against the U.S. presence in Iraq, staging a show of defiance in Samarra and striking twice with deadly force in Basra.

Three Egyptian telecommunications workers abducted last week were among those freed Tuesday, their parent company, Orascom, announced in Cairo.

A fourth Egyptian in the group was released Monday and two others remain hostage.

It was unclear what prompted the two separate groups of kidnappers to release their captives, including two Iraqis who had been seized with the Italian women, and whether any ransom was paid.

The Italians were wearing full black veils that revealed only their eyes as they were received by the Italian Red Cross in a Baghdad neighborhood, according to video broadcast by the Arab news station Al-Jazeera.

Looking dazed but smiling, Simona Torretta lifted her veil and repeated, "Thank you," in Arabic. Simona Pari hesitated before also lifting her veil.

Later Tuesday, the two women were flown to a military airport in Rome, where they were greeted by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The two aid workers, now in long, white dresses, emerged smiling and held hands as they walked on the tarmac, their relatives by their side.

Source: Agencies