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| Lebanese Shia pilgrims held hostages in Syria 'freed' | Lebanese Shia pilgrims held hostages in Syria 'freed' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims held hostage in Syria have been freed, Lebanon's interior minster has said. | Nine Lebanese Shia pilgrims held hostage in Syria have been freed, Lebanon's interior minster has said. |
| The pilgrims have crossed over into southern Turkey, and will arrive back in Lebanon soon, according to Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. | The pilgrims have crossed over into southern Turkey, and will arrive back in Lebanon soon, according to Interior Minister Marwan Charbel. |
| The nine were part of a group of 11 who were seized while making their way back to Lebanon in May 2012 after a tour of holy sites in Iran. | The nine were part of a group of 11 who were seized while making their way back to Lebanon in May 2012 after a tour of holy sites in Iran. |
| Two of the group were subsequently released. | Two of the group were subsequently released. |
| The pilgrims' release had been reported by Lebanese officials three days after they were seized, but it then transpired that they had not left Syria. | The pilgrims' release had been reported by Lebanese officials three days after they were seized, but it then transpired that they had not left Syria. |
| Jubilation | Jubilation |
| "The story is over," Mr Charbel told the Reuters news agency. "In the next 24 hours, they will be with us [in Lebanon]." | "The story is over," Mr Charbel told the Reuters news agency. "In the next 24 hours, they will be with us [in Lebanon]." |
| The Qatari foreign minister told the al-Jazeera television network on Friday that the pilgrims' release had now come about due to Qatari mediation. | The Qatari foreign minister told the al-Jazeera television network on Friday that the pilgrims' release had now come about due to Qatari mediation. |
| The news was greeted with jubilation in southern Beirut, where relatives of some of those kidnapped live, according to local media reports. | The news was greeted with jubilation in southern Beirut, where relatives of some of those kidnapped live, according to local media reports. |
| In August a group called Zuwwar al-Imam Rida said it was behind the kidnapping of two Turkish pilots in Beirut, saying they would be freed in exchange for the pilgrims. | In August a group called Zuwwar al-Imam Rida said it was behind the kidnapping of two Turkish pilots in Beirut, saying they would be freed in exchange for the pilgrims. |
| Mr Charbel said he now expected the two pilots, Murat Akpinar and co-pilot Murat Agca, to be released soon, according to Reuters. | Mr Charbel said he now expected the two pilots, Murat Akpinar and co-pilot Murat Agca, to be released soon, according to Reuters. |
| "We insist that those who kidnapped the Turks release them,'" he said, | "We insist that those who kidnapped the Turks release them,'" he said, |
| Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was also quoted as saying he expected a resolution to their case soon. | Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was also quoted as saying he expected a resolution to their case soon. |
| "Very positive developments are under way in the case of the pilots; this matter has largely been settled," Mr Davutoglu said on Turkish television, according to AFP. | "Very positive developments are under way in the case of the pilots; this matter has largely been settled," Mr Davutoglu said on Turkish television, according to AFP. |
| Earlier this week the two appeared in a video broadcast on Lebanese television saying they were both well and wanted to go home. | Earlier this week the two appeared in a video broadcast on Lebanese television saying they were both well and wanted to go home. |
| There are also expectations that a number of female prisoners being held by the Syrian government might be released as part of an elaborate three-way deal. |