Relatives of Aazaz hostages clash with security forces outside Turkish embassy

                                         
Families of the Lebanese pilgrims abducted in Syria's Aazaz clashed on Tuesday with security forces outside the Turkish embassy in the region of Rabieh.                         

LAF soldiers were deployed near the embassy to prevent the protestors from entering the embassy.                               

Families of the abductees placed tents near the embassy, saying that they will continue their open ended sit-in until the release of their relatives is secured.                                   

Sheikh Abbas Zgheib, who has been tasked by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council to follow up the case, told LBCI that the sit-in will continue until a solution to the case is found.            

A statement was issued on behalf of protesters and was read by Adham Zgheib, confirming that the families will continue their boycott of Turkish products in Lebanon.                    

The statement vowed future steps targeting Turkish interests, stressing that "no Turkish citizen in Lebanon will be harmed." For her part, the hostages' spokesperson, Hajja Hayat Awali, told LBCI that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must expect further resentment towards Turkey.                    

The relatives movements had been on a steady rise lately, preventing on Monday-Tuesday overnight 5 Turkish trucks from offloading their shipments at the fish market in the region of Karantina.               

Last week, families of the abductees announced that they launched a campaign to boycott Turkish products in Lebanon, urging the Lebanese people to support them.                     

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.