Potential snare emerges in bid to free 11 hostages in Syria

[Barrack-Obummer]

An important side show of the crisis in Syria is now entering its third week. A busload of Shia Lebanese citizens were kidnapped in Syria on May 22, as they traveled back to Lebanon from a religious pilgrimage to Iran. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who is normally the one instigating terrorist acts, is now reeling from the effects of this terrorist attack, which has him as a target.

The kidnappers are demanding that Nasrallah apologize for his support of Bashar al-Assad, whose regime is exterminating village after village of Sunni Arabs. Nasrallah, who represents Shia Muslim terrorists, and has close ties with Iran, has threatened war against the kidnappers.

There were signs that the hostages would be released this weekend, but Nasrallah's recent speech, in which he defiantly said that the kidnapping would not sway his full support of al-Assad, has "complicated" the negotiations. The Syrian rebels who abducted the Lebanese said that they would release them were they ordered to do so by a new parliament of a "new civil state" in Syria.

BEIRUT: Although signs over the weekend indicated the safety of the 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, a complication emerged Sunday with the Syrian National Council likely removing itself from negotiations of their release.

Former head of the Syrian National Council Burhan Ghalioun said a recent speech by Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah had “complicated the issue” and the body would be withdrawing itself from negotiations to release the kidnapped pilgrims.

Ghalioun, who spoke at a news conference following the handing over of his duties as the head of the SNC to Abdel-Basset Sida, said that responsibility was now in the hands of the Lebanese government.

Nasrallah recently said that last month’s kidnapping of the pilgrims would not sway his party’s policy of supporting Bashar Assad’s government and also called for the pilgrims to be released and for the larger political issues to be dealt with separately: with war or peace.

A previously unknown Syrian rebel group claimed responsibility for the abduction of the Lebanese and said that releasing them was contingent on Nasrallah apologizing for his support of Syria.

Ghalioun also reiterated his condemnation of the kidnapping and said that the council sought the speedy release of the pilgrims.

Lebanese government and political officials from a broad array of groups have been scrambling to bring the kidnapped Lebanese home quickly as the issue drags on and risks raising sectarian tension in the country.

Their efforts have been complicated by a disorganized opposition in Syria and worsening sectarian tensions following a number of recent gruesome killings of civilians.

On May 22, the pilgrims were kidnapped in the Syrian province of Aleppo shortly after crossing the border from Turkey. They were on their way back to Lebanon following a religious pilgrimage to Iran. The women and elderly men of the group were released quickly but 11 men are still being held.

Indications of a peaceful solution of the kidnapping got a boost Saturday when a video showing the pilgrims in good health was released by Al-Jazeera.

In the video broadcast by Al-Jazeera, abductees take turns reassuring their loved ones of their safety. One of the abductees said in his statement that it was either June 5 or 6.

A few of the men said to the camera that they supported the Syrian opposition and were guests of the rebels who are fighting the Syrian government.

It was not immediately clear whether the abductees had been coerced into making such statements.

Separately, the Syrian rebels who abducted the Lebanese said that they would release them were they ordered to do so by a new parliament of a new civil state in Syria, Al-Jazeera TV reported Saturday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour Sunday voiced optimism that the pilgrims’ release was imminent.

“We have great hope for their safe return,” Mansour told Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat. “We were all happy to see them okay and in good health [in the video] and there are positive signs that their release will take place soon.”

In his interview with the daily, Mansour also praised efforts by Turkey to help secure the release of the kidnapped and said Ankara was actively following up on the case.

Earlier, the abductees’ relatives in Lebanon had begun to show frustration with the slow pace of the negotiations. Around 75 people took to the streets Friday and blocked the road leading to Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport near the headquarters of the Higher Islamic Council, demanding action by the government.

THE DAILY STAR :: News :: Politics :: Potential snare emerges in bid to free 11 hostages in Syria

Past sources:

Syrian group claims kidnap of Shia pilgrims - Middle East - Al Jazeera English


Hezbollah demands hostages in Syria be freed - Middle East - Al Jazeera English