Russia lauds release of two Syrian nuns - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW, March 11 (Itar-Tass) - Russia lauds the release of two Syrian nuns, who were kidnapped by militants in Maaloula in December 2013, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Tuesday. The nuns and mother superior of the St. Thecla convent in the historic Syrian town of Maaloula, who had been kidnapped by militants in December 2013, have been released and have arrived at the Jdeidet Yabous checkpoint on the Syrian-Lebanese border. “When government troops encircled militants they decided to release a group of women, who had been earlier arrested and accused of their involvement in the armed opposition,” ministry said. “We pay tribute to a decision taken by the Syrian leadership and the effective role that Lebanese and Qatari special services played,” the ministry said. Moscow lauds release of Syrian nuns kidnapped by militants