March 14 calls for exerting pressure to solve case of Lebanese nationals detained in Syrian jails

The General Secretariat of the March 14 coalition said Wednesday that the case of the Lebanese hostages in Syria could not be sealed unless the Syrian abducted bishops Boulos Yazigi and Yuhanna Ibrahim, as well as abducted journalists, are eventually released.

However, March 14 forces noted that the revealed facts pertaining to the release of the Lebanese pilgrims proved that the party that has illegitimate arms and that is capable of kidnapping innocent individuals can guarantee the return of its abducted affiliates.

Following its weekly meeting, the coalition issued a statement whereby it stressed that it is committed, now more than ever, to the state and to the implementation of laws, calling on Hezbollah to abide by the provisions of laws.

The Secretariat General also recalled the cases of the Lebanese nationals detained in Syrian jails, urging the civil society to exert strong efforts and to pressure the concerned parties in Lebanon and worldwide in order to resolve this issue.

On Saturday 19th of October 2013, nine Lebanese pilgrims abducted in Syria and two Turkish pilots held hostage in Lebanon returned home, part of an ambitious three-way deal cutting across the Syrian civil war.

Thousands of well-wishers greeted the Shiite pilgrims in Beirut, while, a plane carrying the two freed Turkish Airlines pilots landed in Istanbul, where Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials greeted them.  

The hostage release ends an ordeal that began a year and a half ago when Syrian rebels kidnapped eleven Lebanese pilgrims, triggering tit-for-tat kidnappings that included the two Turkish pilots.