A foreign ministry official told UPI Hammoud also told the charge d'affaires in Baghdad to follow up the issue with the Iraqi government.

Armed men seized two Lebanese businessmen from their house in the upscale al-Mansur district of western Baghdad Wednesday.

The ministry identified the hostages as Hassan Haidar and Ghazi Haidar. It was not immediately clear whether the two men are related.

An Iraqi police officer said Thursday "gunmen burst into their villa and took away the two Lebanese men.

The abductors tied up the victims' Iraqi security guard and locked him in the bathroom, the officer said.

About 30 Lebanese working for private companies in Iraq have been kidnapped and later freed. However, in September, one was killed by his captors and three others died during an attempted capture.