Journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka, who has been detained by local authorities in Iraq while covering the battle to retake the Islamic State-held city of Mosul, is likely to be released soon, the local Kurdish media outlet Rudaw said Tuesday.
Earlier, the Japanese Foreign Ministry confirmed that the 47-year-old reporter had been taken into custody by Kurdish peshmerga forces, who are cooperating with the Iraqi military, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, to retake the northern city amid fierce fighting.
Citing sources close to Kurdish authorities, Rudaw said Tsuneoka was likely to be handed over to Japanese officials soon. No further details were immediately available.