On January 26, a group of unidentified armed men attacked a bus carrying Iranian pilgrims on a road connecting Damascus to the northwestern city of Aleppo. They kidnapped 11 men and drove off to an unknown destination.
Five Iranian electrical engineers were also abducted by unknown gunmen in the restive Syrian city of Homs on December 21, 2011. The group of engineers was nabbed en route to the 450-MW power plant they were involved in building in Homs.
Iran has denounced the abduction of its nationals in Syria and called for their immediate release. Tehran has also urged Damascus to use all means to secure the release of the Iranian citizens.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranian pilgrims travel to Syria each year to visit a holy Shia shrine just south of the capital, Damascus.
Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011.
The Syrian government says “outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups” are responsible for the unrest, which is being orchestrated from abroad.
SF/GHN/MA
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