Relatives of Abducted Pilgrims Vow to Prevent Turks from Setting Foot on Lebanon Soil
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The families of nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped by rebels in Syria staged on Tuesday a sit-in near the Turkish embassy in Rabieh, vowing to forbid Turkish nationals from setting their feet on Lebanese soil.
“We will harass all Turks in Lebanon. They can leave the country if they don't like our move,” spokeswoman for the families of the abducted pilgrims Hayat Awali told LBCI TV's reporter.
She vowed to continue with such measures until the return of the kidnapped men from Syria.
“We will cut the road to every Turkish tourist in Lebanon,” Awali said, adding that the protesters will prevent Turkish citizens from entering Lebanon every time a Turkish plane touches down in Beirut.
The families accuse Turkey of protecting the kidnappers. Ankara is a main backer of the rebels who are fighting troops loyal to President Bashar Assad in an attempt to oust him.
The National News Agency said that the protesters headed later Tuesday to downtown Beirut to hold a sit-in near the Turkish Cultural Center but the security forces prevented them from doing so.
Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in May 2012 in Syria's Aleppo province that borders Turkey 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 the town of Aazaz.
A previously unknown group calling itself Zuwwar Imam al-Rida has claimed the kidnapping of two Turkish Airlines pilots, demanding Ankara use its influence with Syria's rebels to secure the release of the abducted pilgrims.
The pilots were kidnapped in August while on their way from Rafik Hariri International airport to a hotel in Beirut.
Lebanese authorities have arrested three suspects and charged them in connection with the abduction.
24 September 2013, 10:50
36
Kidnapping innocent civilians is wrong. Why cant someone act as an intermediary and arrange the exchange of the kidnapping victims?
24 September 2013, 11:52
13
I blame all lebanese media that gave such importance to this spokeswoman and others such as Assir (MTV, LBC, NTV, AL manar, Future.... )
ALL of them, irrespective from their political affiliation are turning thugs (irrespective of their political affiliation) into national heroes .
Lebanese Media are our current society's main cancer.
24 September 2013, 12:43
35
you racists... always attacking your own..always sucking the toes of foreign money.And if these were 9 maronites who were kidnapped...would you not be bleating loudest?
24 September 2013, 16:26
20
This Aazaz abductee case has taken much media coverage. While it is a worthwhile cause, It does not justify representing 10% of lebanese news titles. I want to hear news about the hundreds of prisonners that have been held in assadist jails for years and years.
Why is noone talking about these heros that resisted the black days of the debilitating syrian occupation? The resistance of these heros preserved the Lebanon we have today. Why did we forget them? Because their families are having a civilized sit in next to ESCWA? Because their families do not attack Lebanon's economy and kidnap foreigners?
The kidnapping is a collateral damage to Hezbollah's declaration of war against the FSA. The so called "pilgrims" should take issue up with Hezbollah. NAHARNET- could you stop all this hype about those poor fellows and prepare an indepth special report on the "other prisoners" to remind people of their plight?
24 September 2013, 16:34
21
should throw the lot of them in jail--they would be there in any other country, or any other sect for that matter, for that matter.
24 September 2013, 19:27
10
Everybody hates the ZakZaks. Please go play in a mine field.
24 September 2013, 21:26
00
The woman in the photo is an authentic HA image. Not like the avatar of lebanese_patriot.
