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International Edition |  MEMBER SERVICES The Web    CNN.com        Home Page   World   U.S.   Weather   Business    Sports    Politics   Law   Technology   Science & Space   Health   Entertainment   Travel   Education   Special Reports SERVICES   Video   E-mail Services   CNNtoGO   Contact Us SEARCH Web CNN.com Bulgaria: Hostages 'still alive' Bulgarian Muslims pray in Sofia for lives of two kidnapped Bulgarians. RELATED • Group threatens to kill Bulgarians • Philippines troops to leave Iraq • Manila bars workers after kidnap • Brother: Captive Marine freed SPECIAL REPORT • Inside Iraq • U.S. Reaction • Global Impact • CNN/Money: Rebuilding Iraq • War in Iraq • Special Report YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Bulgaria Iraq Hostages or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this? (CNN) -- The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry says it has information indicating two of its citizens held hostage in Iraq are alive, although a reported deadline set by the kidnappers had expired. The ministry identified the hostages as Ivailo Kepov and Georgi Lazov and said they are truckers. Two diplomats from Sofia, the capital, were in Baghdad to work on freeing the men, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. Bulgaria does not have a diplomatic mission in Iraq. On Thursday, Al-Jazeera aired a video showing an Iraqi insurgent group threatening to behead the two hostages within 24 hours if the United States did not release all prisoners in Iraq. Video showed the two Bulgarians sitting down with their hands tied, while three armed masked men stood behind them. The insurgents identified themselves as the Unification and Holy War group. Bulgaria, which deploys troops in Iraq, has lost six soldiers in the conflict. The kidnappings have increased pressure on ex-King Simeon Saxe-Coburg's government which is trying to move his country of eight million people away from its communist past and into the realm of developed Western states, Reuters reported. "Everyone is praying," read the front-page headline of the influential Trud daily, saying the two drivers had traveled to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, where they were kidnapped, because of desperate poverty at home. The Bulgarian government says two citizens held hostage in Iraq are alive, even though a deadline set by the kidnappers has expired. Story Tools Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time! Deadly blast in Tel Aviv • Manila rejects new demand • Blast kills five in Afghan city • Japan ruling party holds majority Philippines rejects Iraqi kidnappers' new demand • Tel Aviv blast: 1 dead, 20 wounded • Annan challenges leaders on AIDS • Senate leaders urge speedy CIA nomination   ALL AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY International Edition Languages --------- Spanish Arabic German Japanese Korean Turkish CNN TV CNN International Headline News Transcripts Preferences About CNN.com SEARCH    The Web    CNN.com      © 2004 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. All external sites will open in a new browser. CNN.com does not endorse external sites. Denotes premium content.

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