Charbel: Erdogan Joined Efforts to Release Kidnapped Pilgrims

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel hoped that Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s recent visit to Turkey would yield positive results in the case of the nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel hoped that Prime Minister Najib Miqati's recent visit to Turkey would yield positive results in the case of the nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, reported the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah daily Sunday. Charbel

He told the daily: “Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined the ongoing contacts to facilitate their release.”

These efforts are taking place along with others, including Qatar, which is playing an important role to that end, revealed the minister. “I will not delve into the details, but matters are taking their right course,” stressed Charbel, according to naharnet.

Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria's Aleppo district in May 2012 as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from pilgrimage in Iran. Since then, two of them have been released, while the remaining nine are being held in Syria's Aazaz region.