Tit-for-Tat Abductions in Wadi Khaled, Dignitaries Say ‘Detainees are Visitors until Ahmed is Released’

Residents in the northern town of Wadi Khaled blocked the international highway on Sunday to protest the kidnapping of Mohammed Suleiman Ahmed, alias "Abu al-Rouss”, who was abducted from Akkar valley into the Syrian territory.

After the incident triggered tit-for-tat abductions, municipality chiefs and local dignitaries convened, calling on the government and security forces to determine Ahmed’s fate.

At least seven people, among them two Syrians, were seized in Wadi Khaled in retaliation for Ahmed’s abduction.

After their meeting, the conferees issued a closing statement, saying that “there has not been any abduction; the detainees are our guests until our kidnapped residents are released.”

Voicing their support to the “demands of the Syrian revolution of freedom,” the Wadi Khaled dignitaries said that “Alawites are our neighbors and people, but we reject the abduction of any person from Wadi Khaled and handing them over to Syrian authorities.”

“We demand that abductee Mohammed Suleiman Ahmed be returned to his family as soon as possible” the statement added, pointing out that “Akkar and Wadi Khaled dignitaries are not responsible for any statement that might breach the principle of coexistence.”

Former MP Mustafa Ali Khaled said that “the whereabouts of Ahmed have been determined and he was delivered to the Syrian authorities and will be released back to his family,” pointing out that a man called “Bilal” is responsible for the abduction.

According to media reports, the first vengeful attack came after Mohammed Suleiman Ahmed was seized in Akkar valley while travelling in a minivan on Saturday night.

Upon learning of the incident, his brother kidnapped a citizen identified as Hikmat Qassem.

This led to road closures in several Wadi Khaled towns.

According to the National News Agency Wadi Khaled residents flocked into a tent, where they gathered to demand the release of Ahmed, giving a four-hour ultimatum to set Ahmed free or else they would block all roads all the way to the city of Tripoli.