American journalist Jill Carroll was freed this morning after being held for nearly three months by captors in Iraq.

Carrol, 28, who worked for several international newspapers including the Boston daily Christian Science Monitor, was kidnapped in Baghdad, on 7 January this year. Her captors were calling for the release of all Iraqi women prisoners held in US and Iraqi jails.

Responding to the news of Carroll’s release, Christian Science Monitor editor Richard Bergenheim said, "This is an exciting day, we couldn’t be happier. We are so pleased she’ll be back with her family. The prayers of people all over the world have been answered."