Baghdad, Jul 24 (AP)A German arts curator abducted earlier this week in Iraq was freed on Friday in a raid by Iraqi security forces near the capital, Baghdad, officials said.

Hella Mewis was freed in an early morning operation southeast of Baghdad, when security forces raided a location based on intelligence they had obtained regarding her whereabouts, a security official said.

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Another security official said she had been found blindfolded. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give press statements.

Iraq's Interior Ministry personnel, intelligence officials and police had worked to free Mewis by monitoring surveillance footage, among other methods, a statement from the ministry said.

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Brig. Khaled Al-Muhanna, a spokesman for the ministry, said Mewis' abductors have not been arrested. An investigation is underway to bring the perpetrators to justice.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Mewis was handed over to the German Embassy in Baghdad.

He said he was “very relieved” that Mewis is free and thanked the Iraqi authorities “who supported us comprehensively during this time and contributed decisively to this case ending well.”

Mewis was reported missing by friends and activists on Tuesday. Security officials said she was kidnapped outside the Baghdad arts center where she worked.

There was no claim of responsibility for the abduction and officials did not mention whether any ransom had been demanded.

Mewis is well known on the art scene in Iraq and is an ardent supporter of mass anti-government protests. She is a beloved figure in Baghdad, where she has resided for seven years and runs an arts program for young Iraqis.

She was often seen on her bicycle zipping along the bustling Karada Street, an unusual sight in a city where foreigners are often cautious of the unpredictable security situation.(AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)