AFP & AP reported that an Italian engineer has been kidnapped in Syria along with two other workers from at the Hmisho steel plant in the port city of Latakia.
Italian media named the engineer as Mr Mario Belluomo from Catania in Sicily, who worked at the steel plant in Syria’s principle port city. According to the reports, he was kidnapped in nearby Tartus, another port city.
Sky TG24 TV in Italy said the other two hostages are Russians, but there was no immediate confirmation of that.
Italian foreign minister Mr Giulio Terzi, without revealing any further details about the kidnap victims, said “In all such cases, the safety of our countryman is of the utmost priority and it is indispensable to be as discreet as possible. The ministry’s crisis unit has activated all available channels and the Italian’s family has been informed.”
He said “We are working with the utmost commitment and with the same dedication with which our embassies and consulates give assistance daily to our countrymen in difficulty, including in risky regions and situations.”
Last summer, two Italian electrical engineers were abducted by militants in Syria and freed after eight days in captivity. They told reporters that they were kidnapped by several masked men as they drove to a Syrian airport. The two Italians were then helped by the Syrian army and returned home in July.
