Iraq's Prime Minister Mr Ayad Allawi's office has confirmed two of his female relatives who were kidnapped last week have been released.
Mr Allawi's cousin, Mr Ghazi Allawi (75), his cousin's wife and his cousin's pregnant daughter-in-law were abducted at gunpoint last Tuesday in western Baghdad's Yarmouk neighborhood.
There was no word on the whereabouts of his cousin.
A militant group, Ansar al-Jihad, had claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and threatened to behead Mr Allawi's relatives in 48 hours unless female and male detainees in Iraq were released, and the siege on the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah halted.
Yesterday, Al-Jazeera Television quoted unidentified sources as saying the two women were freed in Baqouba, central Iraq.
Mr Allawi had said on Saturday he was deeply concerned about the fate of his three relatives, but their abduction would not deter him from purging the country of militants.
Hundreds of Iraqis have been kidnapped in recent months, mainly by groups demanding ransom payments.
