The Lebanese army freed on Tuesday a Saudi citizen who was abducted over the weekend.
In a tweet, the military said an intelligence directorate patrol freed Mashari al-Mutairi during a “sophisticated operation on the Lebanese-Syrian border.” It also arrested the kidnappers.
Army commander Joseph Aoun confirmed the release of the captive and the arrest of the perpetrators.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed that Lebanon is keen on preventing any threat against Arab nationals.
Lebanon will not be used to threaten the security of Arab countries, he stressed.
Mutairi, who works for Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), was abducted overnight on Saturday with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of $400,000.
Conflicting reports had emerged over where he was kidnapped from.
Initial reports said the man was kidnapped on the airport road in Beirut, while Lebanese security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that he was abducted in a central district of the capital.
Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television said he was nabbed after he left a restaurant in the waterfront Zaituna Bay area.
