Syria:
abducted Franciscan priest released
(Vatican Radio) The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has
confirmed that Father Hanna Jallouf OFM, the Franciscan parish priest
kidnapped in Syria by brigades linked to the militant group Jahbat Al-Nusra
late Sunday has been released. Some 20 Christians had been abducted along
with him. Father Jallouf is one of two parish priests in the area of
Knayeh (Qunayeh) , not far from the border with Turkey. Some 700
Catholic families live in the village. Three Franciscan nuns also live
there, operating a youth centre and a dispensary.
According
to Italian news reports, up until last Christmas, Knayeh was under the control
of ISIS militants, who had imposed a number of limitations on Christians,
including the removal of crosses over churches, a ban on ringing church bells,
the covering of statues and an obligation for women to cover up with the
Islamic veil. The Islamic State jihadists later moved further east and were
replaced by al Qaeda militants from Al Nusra. Recently, militants in charge of
the village had seized Father Jallouf's passport.
Bishop
Georges Abou Khazen, Patriarchal Vicar of Aleppo for Latin rite Catholics, told
the Catholic news agency Fides, "We know that he is well, and this is
important, but there is no news of the release of the men who were kidnapped
with him". Four women who had also been kidnapped had been released
yesterday. In a statement, the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land reports that
Fr. Jallouf has been placed under "house arrest" at the Convent of
St. Joseph, in the village of Knayeh. Local sources told Fides that the measure
was ordered by the Islamic Court.
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