Report: Jewelry Merchant Kidnapped in Bekaa, Abductors Ask for Ransom

Unknown assailants have kidnapped a jewelry merchant in eastern Lebanon, asking for a $200,000 ransom, Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) reported Wednesday.

Bilal al-Affi was kidnapped in the Bekaa town of Talya on Tuesday night, VDL said.

Last month, the Lebanese army said it arrested several people involved in the abduction of Ahmed Zeidan, one of the managers of dairy company Liban Lait, in the same area.

It revealed that the army found in their possession in the town of Brital foreign currency, light weapons, different military equipment, and a considerable amount of drugs.

But it was not clear if ransom was paid to win Zaidan’s release after being held for four days.