The group of hostages, consisting of 26 people, including the members of the ruling family of Qatar, was released after 16 months of captivity in Iraq, reports Lenta, referring to Associated Press.

The release has become possible because of year-long negotiations and several million dollars paid for the hostages. Currently, all the former hostages are under the protection of the Iraqi Interior Ministry and will be sent back to their countries in the near future.

Qatar Emir's family, as well as other citizens, were captured at a hunting camp in the southern Iraq in December 2015. None of the groups in the region assumes the responsibility of the kidnapping.