Charbel: Erdogan Joined Efforts to Release Kidnapped Pilgrims

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel hoped that Prime Minister Najib Miqati's recent visit to Turkey would yield positive results in the case of the nine Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, reported the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah daily Sunday.

He told the daily: “Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has joined the ongoing contacts to facilitate their release.”

These efforts are taking place along with others, including Qatar, which is playing an important role to that end, revealed the minister.

“I will not delve into the details, but matters are taking their right course,” stressed Charbel.

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

Since then, two of them have been released, while the remaining nine are being held in Syria's Aazaz region.

The families of the pilgrims have repeatedly accused the government of failing to exert enough efforts to ensure their release.

They also held Turkey and Qatar responsible for the ongoing abduction.

Miqati held talks in Ankara on Wednesday with Erdogan, requesting that Turkey pressure the abductors of the nine Lebanese pilgrims to secure their release.

For his part, the Turkish premier said of the abduction: “We are exerting efforts together with the brothers concerned in order to secure the release of the pilgrims in Aazaz and we hope to succeed.”