Suleiman Urges Syria to Release 2 Abducted near Border as Residents Block Road in Protest
President Michel Suleiman urged the Syrian authorities on Thursday to release the two Lebanese farmers who were kidnapped a day earlier in the border region of al-Abboudiyeh as the Syrian army abducted another citizen later on Thursday.
The Syrian army kidnapped Yehya Mohammed Fleiti in the border town of Arsal on Thursday afternoon.
“The rise in the rate of kidnappings and killings along the Lebanese-Syrian border is rejected,” Suleiman said.
He urged the Lebanese and Syrian authorities to carry out the necessary investigations regarding the issue to “halt any recurrence.”
“Respecting Lebanon and Syria’s sovereignty falls in the best interest of the security and peace of both countries,” Suleiman said.
Scores of Lebanese border town residents on Thursday blocked off a road to Syria, protesting the kidnapping.
Protesters pitched tents and used sandbags to block the road linking Lebanon and Syria, demanding that Mohammed Yassin al-Merebi and Mahdi Hamdan be set free.
The two men were "kidnapped by five armed men who crossed into Lebanon from across the Syrian border" while they were working on the land, the National News Agency reported.
One of the men's relatives, Sohayb al-Rashid, told Agence France Presse that residents "will continue protesting until the two men are set free. And if they are not set free soon, we will escalate our protests."
"Contacts are being established with the Syrian side to get the two set free," Rashid added.
Protesters pitched a tent 700 meters from the border crossing into Syria at al-Abboudiyeh, which links north Lebanon to Homs in central Syria.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Syrian National Council accused the Syrian regime of "escalating its breaches of the Lebanese borders (and of) increasing its armed attacks targeting Lebanese citizens and Syrian refugees."
The SNC also accused the Syrian regime of "kidnapping Syrian wounded patients from hospitals" in northern Lebanon, while also accusing "the regime's mercenaries of setting up checkpoints inside Lebanese territory."
The statement called for "people kidnapped on Lebanese territory by mercenaries of the Syrian regime to be set free."
almost 12 years
You mean they were not hunting rabbits and they still were kidnapped? It must because they were carrying shovels and pick axes near a tense border .... they should have known better than that.
almost 12 years
Hey chopper, that is where they live. They don't have a nice SUV to pack it up and leave.
almost 12 years
you meant a nice American SUV that hizbullah officials drive...
almost 12 years
Imagine Lebanon establishing a security zone a couple of KM:s into Syrian territory...
This would be possible thanks to Lebanese diaspora Lobbying in the Chinese parliament and thus we have unlimited chinese weapons.
China will never let go of Lebanon. No matter which political party wins in the upcoming Chinese elections.
Ah. Imagine how peaceful life would hv been.
almost 12 years
mr president, this investigation has to wait as our cookie army r extremely busy dealing with the facebook investigations.
almost 12 years
Where's the resistance? What happened to the formula
'army-people-resistance'when it comes to protecting Lebanon? Bunch of Iranian worshiping hypocrites!
almost 12 years
bah! if they were from the south hezbollah would have launched a huge protest against it... but since they are not with them, what the heck! for hezb some lebanese are better than others!
almost 12 years
They are nothing but criminals with a propaganda marketing machine
almost 12 years
wherr are you mouwateh?IE Capullo IE :Wateh
What about your Iranian Friend Fsermeye??
almost 12 years
I don't understand how some people can remain silent about what's happening near the border with Syria. Are you that afraid of the Syrians? Or are you such traitors that you won't stand up and defend the honor of your country? Instead you make excuses such as "They were hunting or carrying weapons". I don't care what they were doing, they were in Lebanese territory and it's up to the Lebanese army (not the syrian) to investigate and arrest them (if justified). Shame on you for being such cowards. The syrian regime is a criminal regime that will never last as it has crossed the red line. Stop betting on it, Lebanon cannot stand against the international community nor should it. Send the army to the border and fight back if necessary.
almost 12 years
I think Kataeb, LF, Future ( Ive said it before) all other interested parties should station a mokawame alongside strategic points on the Lebanese/Syrian border.
A couple of thousend men. This is not hostile, just in order to prevent any more kidnaps.
almost 12 years
I fear that in Wadi Khaled, al Qaa, Aarsal, they established already strongholds, and quite hostile ones. And this is not even exporting revolution; its pure sympathy for Syrian opposition (or, if you prefer, pure interference). The North is a de fato safe haven for foreign guerrillas, bracing to fight a war in a neighbouring country. Lebanon has seen this before.
almost 12 years
have you been in the north and know then what you are talking about?...
almost 12 years
where are the march 8 illiterate supporters? they do not seem to care about borders of their country....
almost 12 years
“Respecting Lebanon and Syria’s sovereignty falls in the best interest of the security and peace of both countries,” Suleiman said.
what a weak statement is this? it is lebanese sovereignty that is being violated and he is more worried about issuing a balanced statement to appease the syrians by mentioning their sovereignty?
where is the lebanese useless army. the general barks about attacking it in public but it fails to protect the lebanese... failure to stop at a checkpoint leads to being shot in the head, while they refuse to shoot one bullet in protection of lebanese on the border...
Get some balls and stop begging Assad...