The movement loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in Iraq on Saturday handed over to the United Nations a man it identified as a captive former American soldier who had been held for nine months.

The man, phonetically named by Sadrist officials as 59-year-old ex-army sergeant Randy Michael Hills, appeared wearing a US military uniform at a news conference in Baghdad alongside two senior Sadr movement politicians.

The US embassy confirmed the man transferred to the UN mission in Iraq (UNAMI) was a US citizen, but provided no further details about his identity.

"UNAMI has transferred a US citizen to the US Embassy in Baghdad, which is providing all necessary consular assistance to the US citizen," an embassy spokesman said.

"Due to privacy considerations, we are unable to provide additional information."

Earlier, UN spokeswoman Radhia Achouri said parliament deputy speaker Qusay al-Sohail and MP Maha al-Duri "handed over to UNAMI in the evening of Saturday 17 March an American citizen whom they said has been in detention for about nine months by an Iraqi armed faction."

An official in Sadr's headquarters in the holy Shiite city of Najaf said the man, whom he described as a "soldier," was captured on June 18, 2011.

"He was released for humanitarian reasons," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "There was no direct or indirect deal or negotiations with Americans or other sides."

The official and Duri said the man had taken part in battles between the US army and Sadr's now deactivated Mahdi Army militia in 2004.

US officials have said that the remains of the last soldier unaccounted for from the war in Iraq were handed over last month.

American civilian contractors and interpreters often wore US military uniform or clothing approximating military fatigues while US forces were stationed in Iraq.

Washington withdrew its military forces from Iraq in December after leading the 2003 invasion that ousted now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein.

Just 157 soldiers remain under the charge of the US embassy, along with a marine detachment responsible for the mission's security.

Freed American was in Iraq privately: US embassy
Baghdad (AFP) March 18, 2012 –

An American freed from nine months of being held in captivity by a Shiite militia group was in Iraq on private business when he was kidnapped, the US embassy in Baghdad said on Sunday.

Randy Michael Hultz, snatched on June 18, 2011, was released by the movement loyal to Moqtada al-Sadr at a news conference a day earlier at which Hultz appeared wearing military uniform.

"The US embassy in Baghdad confirms that Randy Michael Hultz, an American citizen, was transferred to the embassy from the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq on March 17," embassy spokesman Michael McClellan said.

"Mr Hultz, a private citizen, is not an employee or contractor of the US government and was in Iraq on private business. Since his transfer to the embassy, Mr Hultz has been provided with all necessary consular services, including a medical check-up and debriefing."

McClellan continued: "The consular section continues to assist Mr Hultz as he considers his plans."

Hultz was transferred to the UN following Saturday's news conference during which his release was hailed by Sadrists as a "humanitarian" gesture. He had been kidnapped on June 18, 2011 by the Promised Day Brigade, a Shiite militia close to the Sadrist movement.

Sadrist officials said Hultz, who they said was a former American soldier, took part in battles between the US army and Sadr's now deactivated Mahdi Army militia in 2004.

Claims that he is a former soldier were not immediately confirmed by US officials.

The remains of the last American soldier unaccounted for from the war in Iraq were handed over last month.

American civilian contractors and interpreters often wore US military uniform or clothing approximating military fatigues while US forces were stationed in Iraq.

Washington withdrew its military forces from Iraq in December after leading the 2003 invasion that ousted now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein.

Just 157 soldiers remain under the charge of the US embassy, along with a marine detachment responsible for the mission's security.