Conflicting information emerged Saturday on the escape of some of the
Lebanese hostages in Syria after their detention site was subject to heavy shelling.
Upon hearing the news, an atmosphere of sadness prevailed in Beirut’s southern suburbs
where relatives of the abductees are anxious and in panic over the fate of
their loved ones.
However, the spokesperson for the Syrian rebels Mohammad Nour
denied, through LBCI, all the reports that circulated about the shelling of the
Lebanese abductees’ detention site. He said he was with the head of the kidnappers
“Abu Ibrahim” when the news was broadcasted, stressing that the latter is not
wounded.
Sources had earlier reported that an armed group stormed into the detention site where the 11 Lebanese
hostages are kept, taking away 2 of them, adding that the rest of the detainees
are still with the abductors while the kidnapping mastermind Abou Ibrahim was
injured during the shooting.
However, Abu Ibrahim later
confirmed to the families that the 11 hostages are still in his custody.
In
this regard, the head of the Party of Free Syrians, Sheikh
Ibrahim Zoabi told LBCI that
the detention site was shelled with heavy weapons, causing 2 of
the abductees to flee. Zoabi added that the other abductees were transferred by
their kidnappers to another site.
Zoabi said that Abu Ibrahim was wounded in the
hand, stressing that the information have not yet been confirmed due to fights.
“In the next few hours, we will probably confirm the injuries and the names of
the abductees who fled”, he said.
Zoabi said that he has no certain information
regarding the party that attacked the detention site, adding that that the
region is a region of war that houses “Shabiha” members and members of the Free
Syrian Army.
“Mediators told us that the abductees
who fled went to the orchards area and disappeared; it was later said that they
were found”, Zoabi said, assuring that all the abductees are safe and sound.
For his part, the ambassador to Lebanon of the
International Human Rights, Ali Akil Khalil, announced that Abu Ibrahim’s group
split due to differences, adding that the Abu Jemaa group that defected from
Abu Ibrahim’s was the one behind the attack.
However, the head of the committee
following up the case of the 11 pilgrims, Sheikh Abbas Zgheib, said the information
had yet to be confirmed, adding that he called a number of officials including
the head of the General Security Major General Abas Ibrahim who promised to follow
up on the case.
Sheikh Zgheib said he is
afraid what is happening is the work of intelligence and is perpetrated by countries,
and not just armed groups.
Later in the day, Prime
Minister Najib Mikati called Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to
discuss the latest developments regarding this case.
For the full LBCI report, watch the video above.