Turkey Urges Citizens to Leave Lebanon
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Jumat, 19 Oktober 2018 22:40 WIB
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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Turkish government has urged its citizen to leave Lebanon after two Turkish Airlines pilots were abducted by several armed men in Beirut.
"Two pilots working were kidnapped by armed men who intercepted their bus early on Friday morning, around 3 am. Two of the passengers, pilot and co-pilot were abducted," said Lebanon Home Affairs Minister, Marwan Charbel.
Zuwar al-Imam Reda, a previously unknown group, said it carried out the abduction and demanded the release of a group of Lebanese Shia pilgrims kidnapped in Syria last year.
Turkish Airlines press office announced that the pilots' name were Murat Agca and Murat Akpinar.
According to Inan Ozyildiz, Turkey's ambassador to Lebanon, a Turkish Airlines crew of nine people was on their way from the airport to their hotel when the abduction happened. Seven flight attendants were also on the bus.
"The driver and the flight attendants were forced to go out of the bus, while the pilot and the co-pilot were abducted," said Ozyilidiz.
In the meantime, Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmet Davutoglu through his Twitter account said that the government would make every effort to release the pilots.
AL JAZEERA | NATALIA SANTI