BAGHDAD, March 31 (Reuters) - The Iraqi government's civilian spokesman for a year-long security offensive in Baghdad was released by his captors on Monday, four days after he was kidnapped from his home, the Iraqi military said.

Tahseen al-Sheikhil, a university professor, was released unharmed to Iraqi security forces, said Major-General Qassim Moussawi, a military spokesman.

Sheikhil was kidnapped from his home in the al-Amin neighbourhood of southwestern Baghdad on Thursday.

The Baghdad security crackdown, backed by thousands of extra U.S. troops, was launched a year ago by the government to reduce violence that was threatening to tear the country apart. (Reporting by Wisam Mohammed; Writing by Randy Fabi)

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