Two Iranian pilgrims kidnapped in Syria released: Iranian embassy

TEHRAN, May 15 (MNA) – Two other Iranian pilgrims who had been held captive by Syrian gunmen were released on Monday night, the spokesman of the Iranian Embassy in Turkey told the Mehr News Agency on Tuesday. Abdolreza Shaqaqi said the two pilgrims have not yet been delivered to Iranian diplomats in Turkey. Shaqaqi added the two pilgrims, named Ali Razani and Shaqoli Qelavand, will be flown to Iran on Tuesday night. Two other Iranian pilgrims were released on Friday night. Still 7 Iranian engineers and technicians, who were working in a power plant in Syria, and two pilgrims are in captivity of insurgents groups in Syria. The engineers and technicians were abducted in December 2001 in the restive city of Homs. In total 22 Iranian male pilgrims were kidnapped in January and February on their way to Damascus. Except two all have been released with the help of the Turkish government.