Abducted Turkish Driver Released in Obscure Circumstances

A Turkish truck driver, who had been kidnapped in the Shouaifat area, was set free on Thursday night although the circumstances of his release were not clear.

Abdel-Baset Orsolan was handed over to the General Security Department by the alleged kidnappers calling themselves the al-Imam al-Rida Brigade.

Turkish Ambassador Inan Ozyildiz, who was on hand to welcome the freed man, thanked President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Najib Miqati, General Security Chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, the Army and the security forces on their efforts.

“We are very happy after 48 hours of the release of our citizen” that Orsolan was released, he told reporters from the General Security headquarters in Beirut’s Mathaf area.

The driver's release came less than 48 hours after al-Meqdad clan set free Turkish businessman Tekin Tufan, who flew to his home country at dawn Wednesday.

But Ibrahim remained mum on the circumstances of the release of Orsolan, who told reporters that he wasn't subjected to torture by his kidnappers.

“I am in good health,” he said, without giving further details.

Berri and Miqati received phone calls from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu thanking them on the efforts of the Lebanese authorities in setting the hostage free.

The two Turkish men were kidnapped as part of an abduction spree of Syrians and Turks in retaliation to the kidnapping of a Lebanese man, Hassan al-Meqdad, in Damascus last month.