Turkish Hostage 'Disappears' as Army Arrests Maher al-Meqdad's Brother
Gunfire erupted in the southern Beirut suburb of al-Rowais on Friday after the army arrested the brother of the head of al-Meqdad family association.
“The gunfire in al-Rowais erupted over the army’s arrest of Hasan al-Meqdad, the brother of Maher al-Meqdad,” al-Jadeed television reported.
“Tensions are high in al-Rowais and things may escalate,” al-Jadeed said, quoting Maher al-Meqdad as saying that his brother had nothing to do with the clash and that he was only trying to mediate.
LBCI television said the army arrested several people, including Maher al-Meqdad's brother, over a clash that erupted in al-Rowais.
Later on Friday, Maher al-Meqdad told LBCI that he is “not responsible for the fate of the Turkish abductee” anymore.
"The Turkish abductee disappeared during the clash in al-Rowais and he is not in our custody anymore and we're currently searching for him," he said.
"A third party interfered and opened fire at the army," he added.
Citing unconfirmed reports, Future TV said "the Turkish national abducted by al-Meqdad clan has been liberated."
For its part, Turkey's state news agency said “the Turkish abductee has been reportedly liberated in a security operation by the Lebanese army.”
But al-Jadeed TV quoted a military source as saying that “the army arrested Hasan al-Meqdad on an arrest warrant and it did not liberate any of the hostages.”
Maher al-Meqdad rose to fame during the counter-kidnappings staged by the clan’s “military wing” over the abduction of a family member near Damascus. He acted as the clan’s spokesman during that period.
The clan has claimed responsibility for the abduction of more than 20 Syrians and a Turkish national in Lebanon.
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