Charbel Says Meetings in Turkey on Case of Abducted Pilgrims 'Fruitful'

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed on Saturday that Turkish officials are keen to resolve the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria.

“We agreed on continuing the mutual efforts in another meeting, scheduled to be held soon, to follow up the case,” Charbel’s press office said in a statement.

The statement noted that the meetings that Charbel and head of the General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim held in Turkey were “fruitful.”

Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) reported that the meetings are not expected to have instant results, noting that Charbel and Abbas might return to Ankara within a week.

Charbel traveled earlier on Saturday to Turkey in order to follow up on the case of the 11 abducted Lebanese pilgrims in light of the attack of the region where they were kept in Syria.

VDL said that Charbel briefed Turkish officials on the repercussions of the case locally.

The Syrian army shelled the region of Aazaz on Wednesday.

Conflicting reports soon emerged that a number of the pilgrims were killed in the attack.

Kidnapper Abu Ibrahim had stated that four of the Lebanese were killed in the assault, while the remaining seven were being treated for their wounds.

The minister said that Turkish officials are keen on keeping the issue away from the media spotlight, revealing that the Interior Ministry had sent an officer to Ankara some 20 days ago in order to follow up on the case.

Meanwhile, the committee charged with following up on the case of the abducted pilgrims convened under Charbel on Friday.

The gatherers stressed their commitment to the case, adding that the state is keen on its citizens wherever they may be.

Efforts are underway at the concerned ministries in order to resolve the issue, he declared.

The committee was formed on Thursday during a national dialogue session that was held at Beiteddine.

The pilgrims were abducted in the Syrian region of Aleppo in May as they were making their way back to Lebanon from a pilgrimage in Iran