Rebels demand Hezbollah apology to free hostages

Syrian rebels said they would not negotiate for the release of the Shiite Lebanese hostages they are holding until the leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Assad’s, apologised for a recent speech, Al-Jazeera reported Thursday.

Syrian rebels said they were holding a group of kidnapped Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims, and accused some of the hostages of opposing their revolution against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, news channel Al Jazeera reported on Thursday.

The insurgents added they would not start negotiations for the release of the hostages until the leader of Lebanese guerilla group Hezbollah, an ally of Assad's, apologised for a recent speech.

The rebel Revolutionary Council in Aleppo did not give any more details on their plans for the captives, or spell out what had offended them in the speech by Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. (...)