A Lebanese kidnapped in Syria was released in a hostage swap Wednesday at a border crossing on Lebanon’s northeastern border with Syria, security sources told The Daily Star.
Abbas Qassem Messarra, a Hezbollah supporter kidnapped by armed Syrian rebels last year, was swapped for two Syrian hostages who were taken in retaliation for Qassem’s kidnapping last year.
The release came after months of negotiations between the families of the kidnapped on both sides of the border.
The Messarra family will release the third Syrian hostage in the next few days, the sources said.
