General Security says negotiations to release Lebanese hostages in Aazaz "on the right track"

The media office of the Directorate General of the General Security told LBCI on Sunday that the news mentioned in media outlets stating that negotiations to release the Lebanese hostages in Syria's Aazaz reached an impasse are not "true".

In this context, the media office announced that the General Security Chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim visited Syria in the past two days, and met with Syrian officials in this regard.

As well, the media office said that negotiations are "on their right track" , adding that the General Security Directorate General will provide information in this regard "when need be".

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.

Over the past months, they also held major demonstrations 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."

They have also prevented Syrian workers from opening shop in areas across the Southern Suburbs of Beirut, mainly Hay el-Sellom.