LBCI airs video depicting Lebanese detainees in Syria’s Aazaz

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) broadcast on Sunday a video received from the Anatolia News Agency depicting the Lebanese detainees in Syria’s Aazaz in good health, sending their regards to their families in Beirut.            

The detainees are Hassan Arzouni, Abbas Hammoud, Hassan Hammoud, Ali Termos, Abbas Hassan Sheib, Ali Saleh, Mohammad Monzer, Hussein Ali Abbas, and Ali Hussein Zgheib who supported the demand of the rebels in Syria that calls for the release of the female prisoners held in Damascus in exchange of their release.                

In this framework, Adham Zgheib told LBCI that “the relatives of the detainees will not stop their movements until the release of the detainees and expressed his support to the rebels’ demands in hopes of finding a solution for this issue”.                 

Zgheib added that they are not affiliated to any political party and called on authorities that can communicate with the Syrian regime to exert efforts in order to release the detainees.               

In turn, Hajja Hayat Awali said that “they are not relieved regarding the health situation of the detainees since they seem to be living without food and medications”.              

“It’s been 11 months that our relatives are kidnapped, but we did not receive the demands of the kidnappers yet. We are waiting for the names of the female prisoners in Damascus in order to contact the Syrian regime,” Hajja Awali concluded.

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.                                     

On April 10, they prevented several Syrian nationals who operate businesses in some Beirut areas from opening shop, stating that such movements symbolize their sense of desperation.                       

They also held a major demonstration in Martyrs Square before the Turkish Airline offices whereby they announced that they would be calling for the boycott of all Turkish products in Lebanon since "Lebanon imports a billion dollars’ worth of products from Ankara on a yearly basis."                           

Since then they have also prevented Turkish trucks from offloading shipments at the Karantina dock.


For the full LBCI report, please click on the VIDEO above