ANKARA, Sept. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- A Turkish citizen kidnapped in Iraq was freed after he paid a ransom of 200,000 US dollars, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported on Monday.

   Entering Turkey from Habur border crossing after being freed, Turkish jeweler Enver Unvar was quoted as saying that he was stopped by armed men when he was returning to Turkey after having a meeting with Iraqi businessmen in Baghdad 40 days ago.

   Unvar said the armed men called themselves "Iraqi mujaheddins" and he and his friend Feyaz Alisan were taken to an unknown place.

   "They told us that they would release us in return for 200,000 US dollars. My family paid the ransom. If they had not, I would not be alive and I would have been beheaded," added Unvar.

   According to Unvar, his friend Feyaz Alisan is still a captive of the armed men.

   Turks have frequently fallen victim to the persistent violence in Iraq, where insurgents often resort to hostage-taking in an attempt to drive out foreign forces and companies. Enditem