After second abduction, Franciscan priest freed in Syria

Author: Kresta in the Afternoon Published on: January 6, 2016 Published in: Christian Persecution

Fr_Aziz_Courtesy_of_the_Franciscan_Custody_of_the_Holy_Land_CNA

Franciscan priest Fr. Dhiya Aziz, who had been briefly kidnapped by unknown jihadist militants in Syria in July and was abducted a second time just before Christmas, and has again been set free by his captors.

“Today we received the communication that Fr. Dhiya Azziz has been liberated and that he is doing well,” a brief Jan. 4 statement from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land read.

The statement reported that the Custody is unable to provide further details of Fr. Aziz’ abduction and release due to reasons of confidentiality, but thanked all those who helped to liberate the friar.

Fr. Aziz, 41, is currently in Damascus. He is the parish priest at Yacubiyeh, a village in Syria’s Idlib province, more than 56 miles northeast of Latakia. The Islamist rebel group al-Nusra Front has a strong presence in the province.