Miqati, Davutoglu to Continue Consultations over Release of Pilots, Aazaz Pilgrims

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati agreed with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to carry on consultations over the safe release of two Turkish Airlines pilots, media reports said on Monday.

Miqati stressed during a telephone conversation Sunday night with Davutoglu that the Lebanese state is fully carrying out its tasks to swiftly end the case of the abducted pilots and the remaining nine Lebanese pilgrims in Syria's Aazaz, As Safir newspaper reported.

For his part, Davutoglu voiced hope that his country would be able to participate in a positive way to ensure the safe release of the nine men.

The report pointed out that General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim is expected to head to Ankara when the appropriate conditions are available.

On August 9, gunmen ambushed a bus carrying Turkish Airlines crew from Beirut's international airport to a hotel in the city, and snatched the pilot and co-pilot.

A previously unknown group calling itself Zuwwar Imam al-Rida claimed the abduction, and demanded that Turkey use its influence with Syrian rebels it backs to secure the release of nine Lebanese kidnapped in Syria in May 2012.

The pilots were seized just outside the airport, in an area controlled by Hizbullah.

However, Hizbullah chief sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has denied any involvement in the kidnapping.

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

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