Kidnapped Monk Released

Syriac monk Edip Daniel Savci, who had been kidnapped on the way from Mardin to his village Baristepe in the Midyat district, was released in Batman, a neighbouring province, on Friday, three days after he was taken from his car.

Mardin Governor Mehmet Kiliclar said that the monk was released in the city centre of Batman, and that “security forces reached him”.

In Baristepe village, the release of the monk was celebrated by Muslim and Syriac villagers together.

On Saturday (1 December), Savci was asked to identify five people in detention in Batman. As he left the police department, Savci said that he was able to convince a young man to release him after two other kidnappers left the house.

Savci denied that a ransom had been demanded and declared that because of his religious convictions he had not filed a complaint against the kidnappers.

“I still do not know why I was kidnapped.”(EÜ/AG)