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SYRIA: TWO PRIESTS KIDNAPPED
Independent Catholic News
Feb 18 2013
Christians in Aleppo are seeking contacts with the kidnappers of two
priests: Fr Michel Kayyal, an Armenian Catholic and Fr Maher Mahfouz,
a Greek Orthodox priest who were kidnapped on 9 February 9 by a group
of armed rebels on the road that leads from Aleppo to Damascus.
So far, attempts to open channels and negotiations to free the two
priests have failed. The Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo,
Boutros Marayati told Fides: "The so-called kidnappers phoned the
brother of one of the priests and said only: 'They are with us'. But
they did not explain what is behind the 'we', and have not asked for
any demands. On our behalf, we have limited the area in which they
are held hostage, and we are trying to open a channel of negotiation
with the tribal leader of that area. So far our attempts have not had
concrete effects. We do not know what is the matrix of the group of
kidnappers, if we are dealing with rebels, bandits.... We wonder why
this choice of kidnapping the two priests was made, among the many
passengers of the bus attacked by the kidnappers."
Fr Kayyal and Fr Mahfouz were traveling on a public bus, heading to
the Salesian house in Kafrun on the road from Aleppo to Damascus when
they were captured. Thirty kms from Aleppo, the kidnappers stopped
the vehicle, checked the passengers' documents and then told the two
priests to get off, bringing them away immediately.
Mgr Marayati has not confirmed rumors of that the kidnappers have
demanded a ransom of 160 thousand Euros. The Archbishop told Fides that
since yesterday the area of Aleppo where he resides and the pastoral
settlements of the Armenian Catholic community is at the heart of
explosions and armed clashes between the loyalist army and rebels.
Independent Catholic News
Feb 18 2013
Christians in Aleppo are seeking contacts with the kidnappers of two
priests: Fr Michel Kayyal, an Armenian Catholic and Fr Maher Mahfouz,
a Greek Orthodox priest who were kidnapped on 9 February 9 by a group
of armed rebels on the road that leads from Aleppo to Damascus.
So far, attempts to open channels and negotiations to free the two
priests have failed. The Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo,
Boutros Marayati told Fides: "The so-called kidnappers phoned the
brother of one of the priests and said only: 'They are with us'. But
they did not explain what is behind the 'we', and have not asked for
any demands. On our behalf, we have limited the area in which they
are held hostage, and we are trying to open a channel of negotiation
with the tribal leader of that area. So far our attempts have not had
concrete effects. We do not know what is the matrix of the group of
kidnappers, if we are dealing with rebels, bandits.... We wonder why
this choice of kidnapping the two priests was made, among the many
passengers of the bus attacked by the kidnappers."
Fr Kayyal and Fr Mahfouz were traveling on a public bus, heading to
the Salesian house in Kafrun on the road from Aleppo to Damascus when
they were captured. Thirty kms from Aleppo, the kidnappers stopped
the vehicle, checked the passengers' documents and then told the two
priests to get off, bringing them away immediately.
Mgr Marayati has not confirmed rumors of that the kidnappers have
demanded a ransom of 160 thousand Euros. The Archbishop told Fides that
since yesterday the area of Aleppo where he resides and the pastoral
settlements of the Armenian Catholic community is at the heart of
explosions and armed clashes between the loyalist army and rebels.