Turkey to withdraw troops from UNIFIL

Spokesman of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Andrea Tenenti said on Saturday that Turkey will remove troops from its contingent in the UNIFIL operating in southern Lebanon.

Turkish diplomatic sources refused to link such step to the abduction of the two Turkish pilots from Beirut's international airport in the Lebanese capital  on Friday.

Same sources added that Turkey will only withdraw its engineering and construction troops from south Lebanon, leaving its contingent in UNIFIL's naval forces.

Gunmen on Friday ambushed a van carrying a Turkish Airlines crew in the Lebanese capital and kidnapped two of its members, a pilot and a co-pilot, security officials said.
 
According to the officials, six gunmen ambushed the vehicle on an old airport road in Beirut, snatched the two men, both Turkish nationals, and let the rest continue on.
 
The van was traveling between the Rafik Hariri International Airport to a hotel in Beirut when the ambush took place early on Friday, said the Lebanese officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
 
Although there was no claim of responsibility for the ambush or a demand for ransom, the incident is likely related to the civil war in neighboring Syria, which has deeply divided the Lebanese.

The Syrian rebels, who are backed by Turkey, have been holding nine Lebanese Shiites hostage since last year.
 


LBCI/AP