ANKARA
Lebanon's Miqdad tribe has said a Turkish businessman it had a kidnapped earlier this month would not be released until a clansman abducted by armed groups inside Syria was freed.
"We will not release the Turkish businessman until our brother is freed," Asad Miqdad, brother of Hassan Miqdad who was kidnapped in Syria, told The Anadolu Agency on Saturday.
Aydin Tufan Tekin, the Turkish businessman, was among more than 20 Syrians including opposition members and fighters with the Free Syrian Army in retaliation to the arrest of Hassan Miqdad.
Earlier today, the Miqdad tribe said it would release all Syrians it holds as hostage except for four, whom a spokesperson for the tribe described as "senior FSA members."
Syrian rebels release a kidnapped Lebanese
Syrian rebels have released one of the 11 Shiite Lebanese nationals who were kidnapped in Syria three months ago, Lebanese TV stations reported.
Turkish officials confirmed that Hussein Ali Omar was freed early on Saturday morning and he was handed over to Turkish authorities to be sent back to Lebanon.
Lebanese Interior Minister Marvan Charbel told the LBC television Turkish officials had hinted that the rest of the kidnapped Lebanese nationals could be released soon.
Turkish diplomatic sources said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had telephoned Lebanon's premier and parliament speaker to convey news of Omar's release.
