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Lebanon Frees Kidnapped Saudi National

  • Publish date: Tuesday، 30 May 2023
Lebanon Frees Kidnapped Saudi National

The Saudi national who was kidnapped on Sunday in Beirut was freed by Lebanon's army intelligence, and some of those involved were also arrested, the army reported on Tuesday.

Mashari al-Mutairi, a Saudi national, was reportedly set free during an operation near the Lebanese border with Syria, according to an online army statement.

A man employed by Saudi Arabian Airlines was abducted in the Lebanese capital on Sunday, according to a late-Monday report from the country's state-run Al Ekhbariya television station. The kidnappers wanted a $400,000 ransom.

Following Mutairi's release, Bassam Mawlawi, the Interior Minister for Lebanon, told a press conference at the Saudi embassy that no ransom had been paid and that Lebanese security services had detained nine people in connection with the kidnapping.

Mawlawi said the incident would not impact diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Saudi Ambassador Waleed al-Bukhari said he had been in frequent contact with Lebanese officials regarding the incident and thanked them for their "professionalism and speed" in handling the situation.

He said Mutairi was in good health.