Charbel: Lebanese-Turkish Efforts Ongoing to Set Abductees Free

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed on Tuesday that the coordination between Lebanese and Turkish authorities to set free Lebanese men held hostage in Syria was ongoing.

In remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, Charbel confirmed the cooperation between the Lebanese and Turkish governments, while denying any new development on the case.

Reports that two or three abductees have been set free are untrue, he said.

His denial came after media reports said Monday that he would soon travel to Turkey along with General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim after new developments on the fate of 10 Lebanese pilgrims.

Eleven Lebanese men were kidnapped in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on May 22 while they were returning home from a pilgrimage in Iran.

One of them, Hussein Ali Omar, was set free in August by the rebel Free Syrian Army as a goodwill gesture.

Another Lebanese, Hassan al-Meqdad, was also kidnapped in Damascus last month.