Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE Urge Their Citizens to Leave Lebanon Immediately
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri on Wednesday urged all Saudi citizens in Lebanon to leave the country “immediately,” after media reports said a Saudi man and his son were kidnapped by al-Meqdad clan in retaliation for the abduction of one of its members in Damascus by the Syrian opposition.
Later on Wednesday, the UAE and Qatar also urged their citizens to leave Lebanon immediately.
"Unfortunately, the situation is very dangerous," UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said on Twitter.
Qatar for its part cited "the instability of the security situations" in Lebanon, in remarks carried by its official news agency.
Speaking from Mecca to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Asiri said he asked all Saudi citizens to leave Lebanon immediately “after the threats have become public.”
He also asked all Saudis “not to visit Lebanon at all amid the current circumstances.”
The Saudi ambassador added that he is not aware of “the abduction of any Saudi citizen in Lebanon.”
Al-Meqdad family announced earlier on Wednesday that its military wing has so far kidnapped more than 20 Free Syrian Army members in Lebanon, as well as a Turkish national, promising a “hefty catch.”
The military wing told LBCI television: “We may take escalatory measures depending on the latest developments.”
“We have a bank of targets in Lebanon and we are capable of reaching regional targets,” it warned.
Al-Meqdad family also held Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey responsible for the kidnapping of Hassan.
15 August 2012, 20:38
23
Who the hell is the Meqdad family and how on earth they are running loose like that? How can they do these things without being arrested?
15 August 2012, 20:46
13
Hitech,its been goong on for centuries in lebanon especially at the moment.
15 August 2012, 20:55
00
The Alawite regime in Syria needs to be neutralised asap because Hezbollah and its shia allies are preparing to protect Asad from collapse. Iran is using Syria as a proxy battleground for its ideological warfare against Islam and Muslims.
15 August 2012, 22:06
34
The Hezz are behind all of the mess in Lebanon. Time for the army to go in.....also time for M14 to get Jumblatt to bring down the filth Hezz "government" that has ruined what little there was in the country. Oh time for the M'weili to pay for electriciy too. "You don't pay, you don't get" should be the slogan for the next election.
15 August 2012, 22:31
43
Good sectarian boy,is it you FT/Mowaten/because/whybecose???? Wait, call GMA and ask him if you're allowed to reveal this info. Oh wait, you don't have his number... Ask your contact who knows someone who knows someone that knows GMA.
15 August 2012, 22:48
00
ow, so sorry ,now Lebanese girls would be so sad seeing arabs leaving Lebanon, why ya 3amme btefe2soulon heke 7ayeton lal neswen el lebneniye;). kif baddon yeklo halla2 byou2af sheghlon wallaw ;).
16 August 2012, 05:45
00
such thinking is childish.
whatever civil war happens will be on our region.
16 August 2012, 05:47
01
just reading the above sectarian comments and their intensity shows how stupid we still are.
I do not understand anyone supporting thug activity or justifying it just because the thugs are from their side
16 August 2012, 06:51
00
I guess the meeting 2 days ago between, Hariri and prime minister of Qatar and the king sealed the wahabi deal
