CAIRO, Dec. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Two Egyptian citizens who were detained earlier by US and Iraqi forces were released by Iraqi security authorities on Saturday, the official MENA news agency reported.

    The two, identified as Mohsen Al-Sukkari and Walid Badawi, were working for Iraqna  mobile phone provider, an offshoot of the Egyptian Orascom Telecom company.

    MENA reported earlier that head of the Egyptian diplomatic mission to Iraq Farouq Riyadh Mabrouk had contacted senior Iraqi officials to secure the release of the two Egyptians.A source from Orascom Telecom confirmed Thursday that US and Iraqi forces detained the two employees early Wednesday, who were contracted to provide security services for Iraqna.MENA gave no word on why the Egyptians were detained. Enditem