Syria releases the 14 Syrians deported by Lebanon

Al Jadeed (New) TV reported on Saturday evening that the 14 Syrians who were deported by Lebanon on Wednesday were freed by the Syrian authorities.

Al Jadeed added that Tarek al-Hamawi, one of the deported Syrians, returned to Lebanon.

Lebanon’s deportation of 14 Syrians on Wednesday drew criticism from several Lebanese leaders and from human rights activists.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt called on the Lebanese government to fire “if need be” the head of General Security over the deportation of 14 Syrian men to Damascus.

“We call on the Lebanese government and the relevant authorities to clarify all the circumstances relating to this issue and to launch a probe to determine responsibility and take disciplinary measures against the director general of General Security [Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim] — leading to his sacking, if need be, to stop this ongoing farce,” Jumblatt said in a statement.

Ibrahim was appointed about a year ago as the director-general of the General Security Department. He is known to be very closely associated with Hezbollah.