Negotiations reportedly underway for release of kidnapped Syriac bishop

Baghuz, Syria, March 13, 2019

Photo: catholicnewsagency.com Photo: catholicnewsagency.com     

Two Syrian bishops, Boulos Yazigi, Antiochian Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and Alexandretta and brother of Orthodox Patriarch John X, and Gregorios Youhanna Ibrahim, Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo were kidnapped by Muslim rebels in the vicinity of Aleppo on April 22, 2013.

Since that time, there whereabouts and condition remain shrouded in mystery, though there have been occasional reports that they are alive. For example, in October 2016 they were reportedly in Raqqa, occupied by the Daesh militant group, though earlier there had been reports of their execution.

Now negotiations are reportedly underway for the release of Syriac Metropolitan Gregorios.

Fr. Samuel Gümüs, a Syriac priest serving in Germany commented to Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar that Met. Gregorios was being held in Baghouz, one of the last Islamic State strongholds, and that negotiations were underway. The story was picked up by Agenzia Fides and a number of other outlets.

Unfortunately, no information about the Antiochian Orthodox hierarch Met. Boulos was given.

According to Fr. Samuel, the negotiations were being conducted by the democratic forces of Syria and the forces of the Allied coalition. However, the newspaper, closed to the Shiite Hezbollah Party, also notes that the veracity of the information is difficult to ascertain, given the absence of any official statements.

In August 2017, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated that he had inquired with the Islamic State about the fate of the kidnapped bishops but was told that they had no useful information regarding their disappearance.

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3/13/2019

See also
A Statement Issued by the Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic A Statement Issued by the Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic A Statement Issued by the Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic A Statement Issued by the Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic
We, the Patriarchs condemn and denounce the brutal aggression that took place this morning against our precious country Syria by the USA, France and the UK, under the allegations that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons. ISIS denies kidnapping Aleppo metropolitans ISIS denies kidnapping Aleppo metropolitans ISIS denies kidnapping Aleppo metropolitans ISIS denies kidnapping Aleppo metropolitans
During the course of recent negotiations with Hezbollah and the Syrian army, the terrorist organization ISIS denied that it had kidnapped Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo and Oriental Orthodox Metropolitan Johanna Ibrahim, who were abducted on April 22, 2013. A Joint Statement: Three Years on the Abduction of Metropolitans Paul and Youhanna A Joint Statement: Three Years on the Abduction of Metropolitans Paul and Youhanna A Joint Statement: Three Years on the Abduction of Metropolitans Paul and Youhanna A Joint Statement: Three Years on the Abduction of Metropolitans Paul and Youhanna
On April 21, 2016, a joint statement was issued by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, marking the three year anniversary of the abduction of Metropolitans Paul and Youhanna.

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