West Qurna 2 oilfield hostages released peacefully

Protesters peacefully left a water treatment facility linked to Iraq's West Qurna 2 oilfield, managed by Russia's Lukoil, and released two Iraqi employees they had held hostage, a Lukoil source and a source with Basra's police said.

Protesters held the facility for about an hour. Production was not disrupted, a manager at the oilfield said.

West Qurna 2 oilfield lies 65 km (40 miles) north-west of Basra, a city hit by several days of protests. The field produces 390-400,0000 barrels per day.

The water treatment facility, which is separate from the oilfield, maintains a supply of water to inject into the wells.