A large convoy of armed gunmen kidnapped at least 26 Qataris on Wednesday from the Samawa desert in Iraq, Reuters reports.
The Qatari nationals were hunting near the Saudi border when they were abducted from their camp.
"An armed group driving dozens of pickup trucks kidnapped at least 26 Qatari hunters from their camp in the area of Busaya in Samawa desert near Saudi borders," Samawa governor Falih al-Zayady said.
Security forces in Samawa have confirmed the kidnapping and a large scale search operation is underway.
