Azzedin Belkadi was a 47-year-old Algerian diplomat who had taken up his post as the administrative attache at the Baghdad mission less than a month ago. He was seized from front of a restaurant in the Mansour district along with his charge d'affaires, Ali Balarousi. An unauthenticated online statement dated July 23 claimed the abductions on behalf of Al Qaeda. Two days later, photos of the Mr. Belarousi's ID were posted.

A video featuring the blindfolded diplomats was released online on July 26. The following day, another post stated that the two men would be killed following trial in an Al Qaeda court, a proceeding without any judicial merit but no doubt exemplary as a form of torture. Later that day, a final online stated that the diplomats had been killed. The deaths were subsequently confirmed by the Algerian government. There was no explanation given as to what proof was provided for the diplomat's killing.