Earlier, officials had said the three men were all Britons.

The three civilians were abducted by gunmen who stormed their house in a west Baghdad neighbourhood early Thursday, said interior ministry spokesman Col. Adnan abdul-Rahman.

No shots were fired and men were bundled into a minivan and driven off, he said. He had no further details.

There was no immediate confirmation of the abduction from the British or American Embassies in Baghdad.