Five Iranian technicians working in Syria have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the city of Homs, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Wednesday.

It did not give a source for the information nor say when the kidnapping took place.

"Eight technicians, including five Iranians, have been reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the restive Syrian city of Homs," Press TV reported.

Open gallery view In this image from amateur video made available by the Ugarit News group on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, a soldier takes aim in Homs, Syria. Credit: AP

Syria's state news agency SANA reported that eight engineers "of different nationalities" disappeared after heading by bus to their work at a power plant in Homs province.

Iran's embassy in Syria confirmed the kidnapping.

"The five were kidnapped on Wednesday at 0630 a.m. while heading to their work place ... We demand their immediate release," the semi-official news agency Mehr quoted a statement issued by the embassy in Damascus.

Iran, Syria's closest regional ally, has welcomed Syria's agreement this week to admit Arab League monitors to oversee its implementation of a plan aimed at ending unrest in Syria.

The United Nations has said more than 5,000 people have been killed in President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on nine months of protests inspired by street uprisings in the Arab world that have overthrown the leaders of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Several weeks ago Damascus said 1,100 members of the security forces had been killed by "armed terrorist gangs."