Related Event: Iraq in Transition

The Egyptian government is trying to secure the release of its top envoy.

Kidnappers linked to al-Qaeda's branch in Iraq have threatened to kill Ihab al-Sherif, who was kidnapped in Baghdad on Saturday.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry says it has set up a crisis management group to follow the latest developments and they are keeping in close contact with Iraqi diplomats in Egypt.

The threat was posted in a web statement on Wednesday, condemning Egypt for allying itself with "Jews and Christians." Egypt is the first Arab country to have a full ambassador in Iraq. It upgraded its diplomatic mission last month.

After three attacks on diplomats in four days, Iraq's prime minister is urging other countries to keep their missions in Baghdad.

On Tuesday, gunmen fired on senior envoys from Bahrain and Pakistan in apparent kidnap attempts.

Several Arab and Muslim governments have raised questions about security as a condition for upgrading ties to the new Iraqi government, as the United States wants.