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Oil engineers kidnapped in Syria

Syrian security forces are looking for abductors who kidnapped the oilmen

BEIRUT, May 27 (Itar-Tass) — Armed extremists connected with Al Qaeda, kidnapped a group of engineers and technicians of the Syrian Furat Oil Company, reports the SANA news agency.

According to the agency, the bus with them was stopped on Saturday near the Omar deposit in the north-eastern province of Deir-ez-Zor. Company staff members were driven in an unknown direction. Syrian security forces are looking for abductors who kidnapped the oilmen.

In the meantime, the fate of 11 Shiite pilgrims from Lebanon, abducted in northern Syria on Tuesday, is unknown up to this time. Reports, transmitted on Friday about their release and shifting to Turkey, have not been confirmed.

Lebanese premier Najib Mikati cancelled his visit to Ankara, planned for the weekend, while the Hezbollah leadership put “the entire responsibility for the life of abducted Lebanese citizens” on the Turkish authorities. Fearing unrest among Shiites, the Lebanese authorities took increased security measures in Beirut.

A Sunni politician, Lebanese ex-premier Saad Hariri, heading the opposition Mustakbal movement, takes efforts for the earliest release of the hostages. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, “all hostages are alive, but are now outside Turkey”.

It was reported earlier that the pilgrims, returning by bus from Iran, had been abducted by gunmen from the extremist groups Martyrs of Revolution, who do not subordinate to the insurgent grouping Syrian Liberation Army.

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Switzerland does not suit Russia for negotiations on Ukraine — Lavrov

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Ukrainian drone damages energy infrastructure in Russia’s Kaluga Region

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G7 leaders to decide on Russian assets use — Italian Deputy PM

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Vyacheslav Gladkov added that the attack had shattered the windows of several houses and damaged their facades and roofs

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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Iran may target Israeli nuclear center in Dimona in case of Israel’s attack — TV

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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