Zgheib Says Pilgrims 'Well,' Denies Reports they Entered Turkey
Sheikh Abbas Zgheib, who has been tasked by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council to follow up the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria, stressed on Thursday that they are well.
“The officials who are concerned with the matter are following up the case with the Turkish authorities,” Zgheib said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).
He denied reports saying that the nine men held in Syria's Aazaz region entered Turkish territories after claims that Amar al-Dadikhi of the rebel North Storm brigade, also known as Abu Ibrahim, who last May kidnapped 11 Lebanese pilgrims on their way home from Iran, was killed.
Al-Liwaa newspaper reported earlier on Thursday that the nine remaining men entered Turkish territories.
Nine pilgrims remain held in the Aleppo town of Aazaz after two of the 11 were released last August and September.
Informed sources told the daily that the men will be freed soon.
The reports about Abu Ibrahim's death emerged after Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Turkish authorities had received such a tip.
However, Bassam al-Dada, an adviser to the commander of the rebel Free Syrian Army, denied the reports, revealing that Abu Ibrahim “was wounded in a clash between his kidnapping gang and the FSA in an operation aimed at setting the hostages free.”
For his part, Charbel told the radio station that positive signs are looming as Turkish and Qatari officials are exerting efforts to release the men.
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