Cousin of Bashar Assad's wife released after kidnapping in Lebanon

The cousin of Syrian President Bashar Assad's wife, who was reported missing in Lebanon earlier this week, was released by his kidnappers overnight on Wednesday, Lebanese media reported. 

Murhaf al-Akhras, cousin of Asma Assad, was released following efforts by Lebanese officials, including General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, the report said. 

Akhras, who is in his 40s and lives in Lebanon, was kidnapped last Thursday between the areas of Aley and Chtoura in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.

However, sources speaking to local media at the time denied any information that Akhras had been kidnapped.

Akhras, had been in Bhamdoun for three days. Reasons for his sudden disappearance remain unclear.

Lebanese authorities have previously issued a warning to foreigners that they could be targeted by kidnappers and other militant groups.

Criminal kidnappings have occurred in the Bekaa Valley, most recently of a Saudi national in November 2017, the Syrian border regions and Beirut. 

Asma, whose father is a cardiologist and whose mother is a diplomat, has two sons and a daughter with her husband Assad.

Born in 1975 in the UK, the former investment banker styled herself as a progressive rights advocate and the modern face of the Assad family, which has ruled Syria with an iron fist since 1970.

However, she has supported her husband through the brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations and the bloody conflict which followed, in which more than 500,000 Syrians were killed, mostly as a result of regime bombardment of civilian areas.

Many Syrians consider her complicit in Assad's war, and there have been calls for her British citizenship to be revoked.

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