More interviews concerning Tuesday's incidents

IRIN interviews and Iraqi police officer concerning detention of 17 men in al-Batawyen district: "There was sniper fire against a government building from the rooftop of the al-Batawyen house in which they [the Palestinians] were staying. But police later released them when they found them innocent." As regards detention of 13 men in al-Amin district the police officer said. "The second incident was just to check their legal documents." UNHCR said on Wednesday that what happened to the men during their abduction was unclear.

IRIN spoke to Khalid al-Qudsi, a 55-year-old Palestinian who lives in the west Baghdad neighbourhood of Iskan and whose relatives were among those arrested on Tuesday and who were heading to the Syrian border on Thursday. "I heard from my cousin yesterday night and he was really terrified. He told me that they can't stand it any more and that they are leaving for Syria with other families. He told me that they would prefer to live under the harsh conditions at the Syrian borders than to meet instant death in Baghdad. I have not heard from my daughter and her three kids who are stranded at the Syrian border. I last heard from her two months ago when she sent me a letter with a taxi driver. They were in a very bad situation and she said that one of her sons, who is seven years old, was sick."

Panos Moumtzis, head of UNRWA in Syria, asked Arab countries to help the Palestinians who have been stranded for months at the Iraqi-Syrian border: "We appeal to their common sense and generosity to allow them in. Having pregnant women, children and newborn babies there under snow and rain is no solution."