Algeria's Presidential Office confirmed on Wednesday that two of the country's diplomats in Iraq were killed by their kidnappers, calling the action "odious and cowardly."

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said in a statement that "these cowardly hostage-takers have assassinated our two representatives in Baghdad" as the Algerian government is doing its utmost to seek their release.

Bouteflika said Algeria strongly condemns the "barbarous act" to kill the envoys from a nation that is friendly to the Iraqi people and demands to bring the murderers to justice.

Head of the Algerian mission to Iraq Ali Belaroussi, 62, and his colleague Azzedine Belkadi, 47, were seized Thursday by armed men in their car about 100 meters from their embassy.

The al-Qaida terrorist group, which claimed responsibility for the kidnap two days afterwards, said early Tuesday in an internet statement that it would kill the two men.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2005)