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| 48 Iranians kidnapped in Syria released |
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 TEHRAN - The 48 Iranian religious tourists who were abducted by terrorists in Syria in August have been released.
The Iranian nationals arrived at the Iranian Embassy in Damascus on Wednesday.
On August 4, a bus carrying the 48 Iranians was stopped by armed terrorists and all of them were kidnapped.
The bus was travelling on the outskirts of Damascus and was heading to the shrine of Hazrat Zainab (SA).
The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement late on Wednesday welcoming the release of the Iranian citizens and congratulating their families and the nation on their release.
In the statement, the Foreign Ministry thanked the governments of Qatar, Turkey, and Syria for their efforts to obtain the release of the Iranian nationals.
According to unconfirmed reports, the 48 kidnapped Iranians were set free in exchange for the release of 2,130 militants who had been imprisoned by the Syrian government
The Fars News Agency said four Turkish pilots who had been imprisoned by the Syrian government were also released in the swap deal.
The Iranian citizens will come home in the near future.
Syrian Deputy Information Minister Khalaf al-Meftah told the Al Arabiya television network that the agreement was a “collective and group effort” and no “deal” was made with the rebels.
MT/PA/HG
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| Last Updated on 09 January 2013 17:32 |