No Official News on Release of Pilgrims as Case Reaches a Standstill

The case of the remaining abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria's Aazaz isn't expected to be resolved ahead of Eid al-Fitr, media reports said on Monday.

“We haven't received any official news on the release of the 9 men and negotiations are ongoing with the Turkish authorities,” Daniel Shoaib, the brother of pilgrim Abbas Shoaib, said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

“We don't trust them,” he added.

On Sunday, the Northern Storm Brigade announced that it will not negotiate over the release of the men before the Syrian regime frees female prisoners.

Sheikh Abbas Zgheib, who has been tasked by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council to follow up the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria in May, held the Turkish intelligence and government responsible for the standstill.

“They will pay the price. The Northern Storm Brigade work for the Turkish state that defends the organized international abductions and terrorism,” Zgheib said.

He denied that Hizbullah is part of the negotiations, pointing out that previous negotiations with the Turkish authorities stated that female prisoners would be released in exchange for the release of the remaining 9 men.

The Northern Storm Brigade accused Hizbullah in its statement of stalling the release of the women, pointing out that "If Iran's party wanted us to release two pilgrims before the Fitr holiday, it should rush and free the female detainees.”

On July 19, a number of women jailed by the Syrian regime were released, including several whose names are on a list set by the kidnappers of Lebanese pilgrims in Aazaz.

The release, however, did not contribute to free any of the pilgrims.

Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria's Aleppo region in May 2012 as they were making their way back by land to Lebanon from pilgrimage in Iran.

Two of the captives have since been released, while the rest remain held in Aazaz.