Two relatives of Aazaz hostages still under arrest

While five of the relatives of the Lebanese hostages in Syria' Aazaz have been summoned to investigations in the case of the abduction of the two Turkish pilots, Hassan Saleh and Mohammad Saleh remain held at the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau.

In this context, Mahdi Zgheib, one of the relatives, told LBCI that their summoning demonstrates the weakness of the state, calling on the Intelligence Bureau to perform its duties in a professional manner.

He reiterated that the hostages’ relatives are against any kidnapping operation, urging for the release of all abductees.                

On Friday the 9th of August, gunmen intercepted a Turkish Airlines' bus at the Cocodi Bridge in Beirut and kidnapped two crew members, a pilot and a co-pilot. The bus carrying the crew members was heading from the Beirut International Airport towards a hotel in Ain El-Mrayseh.          

The incident triggered a chain of reactions mainly from the Turkish side, the most prominent being the call launched by the Turkish foreign ministry on its nationals to leave Lebanon.                

While well-informed sources linked the abduction to the case of the Lebanese hostages held in Aazaz, the relatives of the Aazaz hostages denied being involved in the operation.              

Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped on their way back from Iran by insurgents hoping to use them for a prisoner swap on the 22nd of May. Only two have so far been released.                  

Their families have vowed to continue their movements until all their loved ones have returned home "safe and sound".                

They accuse Ankara of sponsoring the kidnapping and the Lebanese government of inaptness in this regard.