Relatives of Pilgrims Scuffle with Soldiers Near Turkish Embassy

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The families of nine Lebanese pilgrims held hostage in Syria since May last year scuffled on Tuesday with army troops during a protest they held near the Turkish embassy in Rabieh.

Dozens of soldiers and policemen were deployed to prevent the crowd from reaching the mission.

But the scuffle erupted after the protesters asked the troops to withdraw from the area and leave law enforcement to security forces.

They later erected tents near the embassy, saying they will not remove them until their loved ones are released.

“We advise the Turkish state to withdraw its interests from Lebanon and ask Turkish companies to leave Lebanon until our relatives return,” said Adham Zgheib in the name of the families.

Sheikh Abbas Zgheib, who has been tasked by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council to follow up the case, condemned what he called the attack on the protesters, saying it was the duty of the state and mainly the army to protect them.

The angry protesters staged a sit-in on Monday at the Karantina fish market and prevented Turkish refrigerated trucks from unloading their shipments.

Last week, the families of the pilgrims stopped Syrian workers in Beirut and its suburbs from going to work in a bid to put pressure on those holding their relatives.

Eleven men were kidnapped in May 2012 in northern Syria's Aleppo province as they returned by land from a pilgrimage in Iran. Two of them were released in August and September.

They were later taken to the Aleppo town of Aazaz.

The kidnapping was claimed by a man who identified himself as Abu Ibrahim and says he is a member of the rebel Free Syrian Army, but the opposition group denies any involvement in the abductions.

Comments 9
Missing mohammad_ca 16 April 2013, 13:15

go protest at the Syrian embassy...or better yet, nasrocrap's residence, tell him to stop sending fighters to Syria...

Missing mohammad_ca 16 April 2013, 16:22

run away from the comment and post ad hominem attacks. "hizbocrap pressures the government" that's what politicians do in the civilized world. If, as you say, you have proof that Turkey is complicit in this then present it and pressure the government to call Turkey out on it. Not rocket science. Maybe next these families will protest TV stations that have Turkish soap operas...that'll DEFINITELY do the trick.

Missing samiam 16 April 2013, 17:55

mowaten, your are indeed a tool. Your HA masters are indeed proud of you--you can find excuses for their all their behaviors, despite their absurdities.

Missing mohammad_ca 16 April 2013, 19:10

and if you are unable to see the link between hizbocrap having fighters in Syria and Syrians kidnapping these supposed "pilgrims" then you are truly a sorry excuse for a human being...but an expected supporter of ASSad and hizbocrap...keep at it!

Missing ya_kord 16 April 2013, 15:05

no mouwaten they were abducted by green men from mars!

Missing mohammad_ca 16 April 2013, 16:35

yeah man, and the green men worked for Turkey...nasrocrap said so so it must be true.

Missing samiam 16 April 2013, 17:54

Of course, all of their measures consist of blaming everyone EXCEPT the syrian government After all they were kidnapped in syria, and that would make too much sense.

Their hezb masters are probably 'discouraging' them from protesting there.

Thumb shoo-yaba 17 April 2013, 02:35

They should call them Kilgrims :)

Thumb primesuspect 17 April 2013, 04:19

todos son pendejos de mierda.