German curator kidnapped in Iraq freed in security operation

A German arts curator who was kidnapped earlier this week was freed Friday by Iraqi security forces, security and government officials said. Hella Mewis was freed at 6:25 a.m. local time (0325 GMT) in an operation outside the capital Baghdad in which security forces raided a location based on information they obtained regarding her whereabouts, a security official said. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool posted on Twitter that security forces liberated Mewis, without providing further details.