The Syrian authorities released Sunday the two Lebanese fishermen Fadi and Khaled Hamad as well as the body of their nephew Maher after having communicated with the Lebanese authorities over their case.

The Syrian authorities released Sunday the two Lebanese fishermen Fadi and Khaled Hamad as well as the body of their nephew Maher after having communicated with the Lebanese authorities over their case.

The releasing operation took place Sunday at 1:00 am through the Abboudieh border crossing.

The Syrian news agency SANA has earlier reported that the Lebanese fishermen were trying to sneak in their boat from North Lebanon into the Syrian territories.

“Major Ali Younes of the General Directorate of Ports said he and his colleagues of the port patrol warned the sneaking boat to stop more than once, but its crew members did not heed the warning and threw the boat's load of boxes into the sea trying to flee towards north Lebanon,” SANA reported.

It further quoted Youness as saying that “Upon getting onboard the sneaking boat to ask for papers, persons onboard other five Lebanese boats coming from the Lebanese territorial waters fired towards the sneaking boat injuring two of its crew members.”

SANA stated that the Lebanese fisherman later died of his injuries.