Davutoglu’s Advisor Says Kidnapped Lebanese Pilgrims Still in Syria

The advisor of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated that 11 Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria last month haven’t crossed the border to Turkey.

In remarks to An Nahar newspaper published Saturday, the advisor said: “Turkey has nothing to do with the issue and the kidnapping didn’t take place on our territories.”

“They haven’t come to Turkey and they are still in Syria,” he said after several reports emerged that the kidnappers had taken the men to the neighboring country..

The 11 Shiite pilgrims were abducted by gunmen in the northern Syrian province of Aleppo on May 22 as they were returning from a pilgrimage to Iran.

The rebel Free Syrian Army has denied involvement.

No news has been heard of the men except for a video aired on al-Jazeera TV earlier this month in which the abductees claimed they were doing well.

“We are exerting efforts to set them free,” Davutoglu’s advisor told An Nahar.