Syria Today | Israel frees two Syrian prisoners

Israel frees two Syrian prisoners

Two Syrian prisoners from the occupied Golan Heights were released unexpectedly from an Israeli prison on October 15. Bisher Suleiman Ahmad Maqt and Assem Mahmud Ahmed Wali still had 12 and two years of their respective sentences left to serve, the AFP reported.

After their release, both men returned to their village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. Maqt, who alleged he was imprisoned for “resistance to the occupation”, told AFP he felt like he had “been born again”.

Syrian and foreign media speculated about the possible reasons for the men’s early release. Some news outlets suggested the move could be connected to an expected prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian faction Hamas, which is still holding Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit captive.

The Syrian government welcomed the release of the two prisoners who, according to Syria’s state-run news agency SANA, had been subject to “torture and terrorism at the hands of Israeli jailers”. Israeli officials did not comment on the release.