Naharnet - Families of Abducted Pilgrims Block Airport Road to Protest Failure to Release Them, June 7 2012

by Naharnet Newsdesk 07 June 2012, 15:46

The families of the 11 kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims blocked the airport road on Thursday in protest against the failure to achieve any progress in their release.

They have since reopened the road, threatening however that they may escalate their actions should their protest be unheeded.

They stressed that their protest is peaceful and it serves as reminder for the government to ensure the release of the pilgrims, reported the National News Agency.

The demonstrators accused the government of failing to resolve this issue, reported al-Jadeed television.

Others threatened to stage a protest in front of the Turkish Embassy should no progress be achieved in the case.

The security forces and various parties of influence in the area exerted efforts to ensure that the airport road was reopened after the protest caused congested traffic.

The pilgrims were kidnapped on May 22 in the Syrian city of Aleppo as they were making their way back to Lebanon by land from a pilgrimage in Iran.

Their location remains unknown amid conflicting reports that they had entered Turkish territory.

Turkey had exerted efforts to ensure their release, but they have yet to yield any results.

No side has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction, but various sides had been accused of being behind the incident, including the Free Syrian Army, which has denied any involvement in the case.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/42742