Israel releases two Syrian prisoners after 25 years: report

Oct 16, 2009, 10:28 GMT

Damascus - Two Syrians have been released after spending 25 years in Israeli prisons, the Syrian official news agency SANA reported Friday.

'Israeli occupation forces released Thursday the two Syrian captives Bishr Soleiman al-Makt and Asem al-Wali after 25 years during which they defied all forms of torture by the hands of Israeli jailers,' SANA reported.

The released prisoners were quoted on Syrian television as saying they were confident of 'the return of the Golan Heights to Syria and the freedom of all other captives.'

'Prisoners, the suffering of people in the Palestinian territories and the Golan Heights are only part of the ongoing conflict with Israel. We must continue the struggle to achieve freedom,' said al- Maqt.

Last year, Turkey brokered indirect talks between Israel and Syria. However, Syria insisted that peace talks would be resumed only on the basis of Israel returning the Golan Heights, a strategically important plateau between Syria, Lebanon and Israel which Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.