48 Iran pilgrims abducted in Damascus: Iran state TV

TEHRAN: Forty-eight Iranian pilgrims were kidnapped from a bus in the Syrian capital on Saturday, their embassy's consular chief in Damascus told Iran's state television.

"Armed terrorist groups kidnapped 48 Iranian pilgrims on their way to the airport," Majid Kamjou told the IRIB network, which gave the report on its website.

"There are no reports about the fate of the pilgrims. The embassy and Syrian officials are trying to trace the kidnappers," he said.

Syria's state news agency SANA later gave the same account, without giving a number for those kidnapped, and added that "authorities are working to resolve the situation." (AFP)