Iraqi insurgents who have claimed responsibility for kidnapping eight Chinese hostages have said they would treat them "mercifully" if China banned all its citizens from entering the country.
"We ask your government to issue a statement forbidding Chinese citizens from entering Iraq and this will be considered as a positive gesture and will make us look mercifully on the detainees," the insurgents said in a video.
The eight men were abducted in Iraq earlier this week, and the Chinese government had urged officials to spare no effort to win their release.
