A Lebanese journalist who was abducted by a rebel group in Syria has been freed by his captors, according to his employers LBCI.
The television journalist has now crossed the border into neighbouring Turkey they added.
A message on the LBCI website said: "The journalist Fida Itani crossed the Syrian border on Wednesday night and made his way towards the Turkish side. He will be transferred to Beirut soon."
Lebanese Interior Minister, Marwan Charbel confirmed that Itani had crossed into Turkey and would be boarding a flight to Beirut on Thursday.
Itani posted a message on Twitter saying: "I thank all friends for their messages of support. I am free again although I never felt that I was a prisoner or a detainee."
Itani had been abducted by the Northern Storm Brigade rebel group on Saturday, with Abu Ibrahim explaining that he had been kidnapped for taking too many photographs and also for producing reports which were deemed to be “not compatible” with the ongoing revolution.
Doha Centre for Media Freedom welcomed Itani’s release and repeated calls for journalists to be protected by both regime and rebel forces at all times, and for the targeting of media workers to be stopped.
Sources: AFP. LBCI
