Syria opposition "deeply concerned" for Italian priest
8/3/2013 12:37:44 PM
Syria's main opposition group called Saturday for the immediate release of an Italian Jesuit priest who went to negotiate with jihadists and who is feared to have been taken prisoner.
The National Coalition said it "expresses its deep concern over the disappearance of Father Paolo [Dall'Oglio] over four days ago in Raqa and calls for the disclosure of any information that could help identify his location and ensure his safety."
"We urge all parties involved in the disappearance of Father Paolo to immediately come forward and release him," it added.
The opposition's statement comes a day after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights raised fears that Dall'Oglio has been taken prisoner by jihadists in Raqa, Syria's only provincial capital to have fallen out of regime control.
Reports had earlier emerged that Dall'Oglio went on Monday to meet with commanders of the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) to try to negotiate peace between Kurds and jihadists and to plea for the release of activists kidnapped by the group.
ISIS is behind the kidnapping of several activists in Raqa.
The National Coalition said it "expresses its deep concern over the disappearance of Father Paolo [Dall'Oglio] over four days ago in Raqa and calls for the disclosure of any information that could help identify his location and ensure his safety."
"We urge all parties involved in the disappearance of Father Paolo to immediately come forward and release him," it added.
The opposition's statement comes a day after the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights raised fears that Dall'Oglio has been taken prisoner by jihadists in Raqa, Syria's only provincial capital to have fallen out of regime control.
Reports had earlier emerged that Dall'Oglio went on Monday to meet with commanders of the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) to try to negotiate peace between Kurds and jihadists and to plea for the release of activists kidnapped by the group.
ISIS is behind the kidnapping of several activists in Raqa.