Israel Kidnaps Lebanese Shepherd from Shebaa

The Israeli army on Wednesday abducted Lebanese shepherd Ismail Saab from the border town of Shebaa, the National News Agency said.

“Following contacts conducted by UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) and the international Red Cross, it turned out that he was taken to the occupied Shebaa Farms,” NNA added.

Saab had gone missing in the afternoon as he was grazing his flock in the vicinity of the al-Radar post east of the town of Shebaa, the agency said.

“His flock returned to the town without him,” it added.

A Lebanese military source confirmed the news to AFP.

"Discussions are ongoing for his release," the source said.

The Shebaa Farms have been under Israeli occupation since the 1967 Middle East war. Lebanon says the area is Lebanese territory, while the U.N. says it was annexed from Syria.

The U.N. peacekeeping force that monitors the area urged both sides to avoid an escalation.

The incident comes just days after the Israeli army released a Lebanese woman it had detained from the same area.

Such abductions occur frequently in the border area. The Lebanese shepherds are usually freed after around 24 hours of interrogation.