Jreissati: Lebanese Pilgrims Held in Syria are in Safe Location outside of Aazaz

Caretaker Labor Minister Salim Jreissati announced on Friday that the nine Lebanese pilgrims abducted in Syria have been moved to a safe location in the country after they were held in the region of Aazaz for the majority of their period of captivity.

He said: “They are in a safe location away from the clashes taking place between the Free Syrian Army and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).”

He made the announcement during a press conference after meeting with the committee tasked with following up on case of kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims held in Syria.

“The nine pilgrims are doing well and they are in good health,” he added.

Jreissati said that the meeting agreed to intensify efforts to release the captives, stressing: “We condemn the targeting of Turkish nationals and interests in Lebanon.”

Moreover, the minister stated that no new developments were made over the release of female prisoners held in Syrian jails that the pilgrims' abductors had demanded as a condition to release the Lebanese captives.

“The developments in Aazaz have not affected the negotiations,” he continued.

Asked if MP Oqab Saqr was helping in the negotiations, he replied: “The committee formed by the cabinet alone is tasked with following up on this case and I have no knowledge of any other negotiator.”

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who was at the meeting, later revealed that the pilgrims were not being held in Turkey, but are still in Syria.

Eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped in Syria in May 2012 as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from pilgrimage in Iran.

Two of them have since been released while the rest remain in Syria.

The relatives of the pilgrims have repeatedly held Turkey responsible for the ongoing abduction, staging sit-ins and protests near Turkish interests in Lebanon in order to pressure Ankara to exert more efforts to release their loved ones.