The French foreign ministry has confirmed that a French national is missing in Iraq.
The man has been named as Bernard Planche, and the ministry said he worked for an organisation called AACCESS.
'Our embassy in Baghdad has been mobilised and is in close contact with the Iraqi authorities to obtain the release of our compatriot,' the ministry said.
Police quoted witnesses as saying that the Frenchman was snatched by up to seven gunmen in two cars from his home in the Mansour district of west Baghdad.
