The kidnappers of the Lebanese pilgrims held in Syria’s Aazaz region have demanded the help of Germany in the mediation efforts.

The kidnappers of the Lebanese pilgrims held in Syria's Aazaz region havedemanded the help of Germany in the mediation efforts, reported the local daily An Nahar on Saturday.

It added that the case of the nine pilgrims is now in the hands of German intelligence.

The daily revealed that Lebanon's General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim had met with German officials earlier this week with discussions covering the abduction, especially in light of the fact that Germany has had several experiences in prisoner swap deals in the past.

Moreover, the recent developments in the Aazaz region forced the intervention of Germany in order “to garner European sympathies” for the Northern Storm Brigade that claimed the pilgrims' kidnapping.

Germany has also been involved in efforts to release two bishops who were kidnapped in Syria in April.

Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji, were kidnapped on April 23, reportedly near the rebel-held town of Kafr Dael, near Aleppo in northern Syria.

It is likely to accelerate the process of negotiations and release of the abducted Lebanese fearing of their fall in the hands of Al-Nusra Front or the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant which might kill them and harm the public image of the Syrian opposition as a whole.

Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria in May 2012 as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from visiting the holy shrines in Iran.
Two of them have since been released while the rest remain in Syria.

The relatives of the pilgrims have repeatedly held Turkey responsible for the ongoing abduction, staging sit-ins and protests near Turkish interests in Lebanon in order to pressure Ankara to exert more efforts to release their loved ones.