Mokdad Clan's military wing makes an appearance amid abductees death

Conflicting reports emerged Wednesday on the death of the 11 Lebanese abductees held in Syria, leaving their fate uncertain.

Sources told LBCI that the abductees were reported dead as a result of Syrian Air Forces attack on Aazaz, Aleppo.
The attacks, according to the sources were conducted via MiG 20 aircrafts. Head of the media office pertaining to kidnapping mastermind Abu Ibrahim, Mohammad Nour, confirmed that three other families were also killed in the area, with dozens wounded. On "Abu Ibrahim", he was also reported dead. 

Mona Termos, the wife of detainee Ali Termos stated her support for the Mokdad family. She placed the responsibility on former PM Saad Hariri, MP Okab Sakr, and MP Khaled Daher alongside the March 14 Camp, and Turkey for the fate of the 11 Lebanese abductees in Syria amid reports of their deaths.

Al-Mokdad family confirmed earlier on Wednesday that its "military wing" kidnapped over 23 Free Syrian Army members, including one Captain, a wounded officer  and the son of a main financier of the Syrian opposition from the Chamaa family in several Lebanese regions, mainly in the north, the Bekaa and Chouf. The family added that these kidnappings aim at exerting pressure on the FSA to release Hassan Salim al-Mokdad who was recently kidnapped in Syria. It was later reported that a Turkish national by the name of “Aydn Tufan”, was also captured in Beirut’s outskirts. His passport was later obtained and confirmed by the LBCI reporter on the ground. Sources close to LBCI also confirmed that the wave of kidnappings targeting FSA members in ongoing across Lebanese areas.

Aydn Tufans Statement via LBCI:

I was kidnapped upon arriving into Lebanon, I am here for business" he said in his opening remarks.

LBCI obtained an exclusive interview with Turkish hostage Ayrn Tufan who assured that he is well treated. Aydn said that he was being well fed, and treated as though he were a guest, not as a hostage. He called for the end of all wars, adding that if his or any country is supporting "this war", to stop immediately.

"We all live together in the same region, and war is no the answer" he stressed.

I have not had any contact with my family yet, but  I am sure that the Mokdad's will allow it should i ask. I do not know how long this abduction will last" he said.



Other Comments:

A report on the disappearance of a Lebanese national in Damascus also emerged amid the chaos of recent escalations.

Commenting on the issue, Syrian MP Ahmad Shalash called on the Syrian abductors to release Lebanese detainees in Syria. Speaking through LBCI he also pleaded that the Lebanese people to practice self dissociation from the Syrian crisis. 

For his part, the head of the committee charged with following up the case of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims kept in Syria, Sheikh Abbas Zgheib said via  LBCI that their case an that of the Mokdad's is one, adding that the Mokdad family is the beneficiary of their patience. "Now its time for force,an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" he said.

Mokdad Clan’s military wing:

The Mokdad Clan's military wing made a sudden appearance at the clan’s dwelling and called for the immediate release of the Hassan Mokdad, threatening to escalate. “Our powers are both local and regional, so don't test us", one of the military wing’s members said, adding that all the clans, including the Jaafars and Zeaiters, are with them.

“So long as Hassan remains in custody, we will not back down”, he said. The clan said that they refused the Foreign Ministers request to release the Turkish national. “We have a surprise the will amaze many people and affect a certain group in Lebanon” the clan added.

Stances of Al Mokdad family:    

The father of Hassan, Salim al-Mokdad, told LBCI that he is not concerned for his son, adding that presence on the ground is for the strong since “justice is lost” in the country. Salim revealed that his son was in Syria prior to the commencement of the crisis.        

For his part, Hatem al-Mokdad, brother of the kidnapped, told LBCI from the family’s residence in the Beirut southern suburbs’ Roueiss Street that a wounded officer from the Free Syrian Army has been abducted in the north, adding that 5 persons were released “for being innocent”.

“We will keep all those who confessed their affiliation with the “barbarous army” [FSA] - and we warn that we will kidnap nationals unrelated to the Free Syrian Army as well”, he said.    

In turn, MP Ghazi Zeaiyter called on the Lebanese government, through LBCI, to assume its responsibility in the case of  Hassan al-Mokdad, adding “in our tradition, kidnappings are unacceptable, but this was a reaction to Hassan’s abduction and to the Lebanese government’s ineffectiveness.      

In this regard, the head of al-Mokdad family’s Association, Maher al-Mokdad, announced that the family kidnapped over 20 people, adding that the family’s “military wing” kidnapped the Syrian nationals in Lebanon. Maher called on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to intervene to put an end to this issue.   

“Our threats to other countries are only political and we will not carry out operations against others”, Maher told LBCI, adding that Hezbollah has nothing to do with the family and that the abductions were carried out outside Beirut’s southern suburbs. “Tomorrow, we will reveal a good catch”, he said.   

Later in the day the Jaafar Clan voiced its full support for the actions of the Mokdad's adding that they "stand behind their actions in full support".

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Free Syrian Army’s response:   

Commenting on the incident, the press officer of the Free Syrian Army’s joint command Fahd al-Masri told LBCI that the FSA’s central command had nothing to do with the abduction of Hassan al-Mokdad, promising the Lebanese people to release all the abductees in Syria shortly.       

Al-Masri said that there is no need for escalation on the part of al-Mokdad family, accusing the Syrian regime of using this issue to harm the Syrian-Lebanese bilateral relations.