LEBANON — Mashary Al-Mutairi, the Saudi national who had been released, is in good health, according to Walid Bukhari, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, who made the confirmation on Tuesday.
The ambassador said that Al-Mutairi, who had been abducted three days earlier, had undergone medical testing.
Bassam Mawlawi, the interior minister for Lebanon, declared that nine kidnappers had been detained in relation to the kidnapping of Al-Mutairi. He promised to deal with the offenders harshly in a press conference on Tuesday.
The army said on Tuesday that Al-Mutairi had been freed after a military operation along the Syrian-Lebanese border.
Mashary Al-Mutairi, a Saudi national, was let free by an intelligence team during an operation on the Syrian-Lebanese border. A number of others engaged in the kidnapping have also been arrested, according to a statement from the army.
A patrol team from the Intelligence Directorate released the abducted Saudi national following a successful operation on the Lebanese-Syrian border, according to a tweet from the army.
Army Commander Joseph Aoun was cited by a local television station as claiming that the army was successful in freeing the Saudi national and apprehending his captors.
Over the weekend, assailants abducted Al-Mutairi, a Saudi Arabian Airlines employee in Beirut, and demanded a $400,000 ransom.
On Monday, Lebanese authorities said that he had been kidnapped after midnight on Saturday on the route leading to Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut.
Al-Mutairi was taken hostage by seven individuals driving two stolen vehicles, three of whom were disguised as military personnel, according to accounts in the Lebanese media. Four of them were identified, and the army invaded their residences.
The Lebanese Armed Forces, Ambassador Bukhari, and the Saudi Foreign Ministry were all congratulated for their efforts in securing Al-Mutairi’s release in a tweet that was retweeted by Ambassador Bukhari.
“Lebanon’s army and commander are the only things awake in the country. The tweet said that all information should be made public, along with the phrase “The rest is ruined.”
Najib Mikati, the interim prime minister of Lebanon, praised the army’s efforts to secure Al-Mutairi’s release and apprehend the offenders.
In a statement, Mikati added, “We are intent on regulating the security situation and safeguarding Lebanese and international individuals in the country from any threats.
We are also committed to promoting the repatriation of all Arab brothers to Lebanon, he continued, and to preventing the use of Lebanese territory as a base for activities that endanger the security and stability of Arab nations.
