BALADI NEWS
Canadian Kristian Lee Baxter, detained while travelling in Syria last year, was freed on Friday, the second Westerner released by the Syrian regime in two weeks with help from neighbouring Lebanon.
Baxter broke down in tears at a news conference in Beirut after arriving in the Lebanese capital from Syria, saying he thought he would be held forever.
“I didn’t know if anyone knew if I was alive,” said Baxter, struggling to speak as he choked back tears sitting alongside Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon and a Lebanese security chief.
It was not clear what Baxter was doing in Syria when he was detained and Canadian Ambassador Emmanuelle Lamoureux said she could not give details about the case.
Baxter, wearing a grey T-shirt, thanked the Canadian Embassy and the Lebanese authorities for helping him get out of Syria. Lamoureux thanked Lebanese security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim, who last month mediated the release of a U.S. citizen in Syria.
“I want to thank the Syrian state for its cooperation with us in at least two cases in two weeks, with the release of the American Sam Goodwin and today with the release of Mr. Baxter,” Ibrahim said. “What we did was to reduce his detention time and as you can see, he is on his way to return to Canada.”
There was no immediate comment from the Syrian government.