A Saudi citizen has been kidnapped in Lebanon, the kingdom has said.
The Saudi embassy in Beirut was in contact with Lebanese security authorities "at the highest level" to secure the citizen's "unconditional" release, the state Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Friday, without providing further details.
The identity of the man and the circumstances of his kidnap were unclear on Saturday. Lebanon's state National News Agency named him as Ali Al Bishrawi, 32, saying he had been lured from his home in the town of Adma, around six kilometres north of Jounieh in the Mount Lebanon governorate's Keserwan district, on Thursday night.
It said the man's wife, a Syrian national, had filed a missing-person report on Friday morning after receiving an anonymous phone call demanding a ransom.
The Saudi-owned news channel Al Arabiya named the man as Abed Al Shamrawi, however, though it too said he was 32 and married to a Syrian woman. It said he was kidnapped near his home in Al Aqiba, also in Keserwan.
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The man originally hails from the Qatif region in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, Al Arabiya reported.
Earlier on Friday, SPA reported that the Saudi embassy's acting charges d'affaires, Walid bin Abdullah Bukhari, had met with the Lebanese president, Michel Aoun.
It comes as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain have advised their citizens against travelling to Lebanon as tensions escalate over the recent resignation of former Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri. Mr Hariri announced his resignation from the kingdom on Saturday last week.
Following news of the kidnapping on Friday, the Lebanese interior minister held a series of meetings with Lebanon's security agencies, the state National News Agency reported.
Nohad Mashnouq said the safety and security of Arab and foreign citizens was a priority for the Lebanese authorities.
"Tampering with security and stability in Lebanon is a red line that must not be crossed. The security apparatuses have mobilised to avert any attempt to exploit the current political juncture to jolt security and threaten the safety of the Lebanese and the Arab and foreign nationals," he said, according to NNA.
Mr Mashnouq told Agence France-Presse that the kidnapping of the Saudi citizen was "in no way related" to the crisis over Mr Hariri's resignation or politics.
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
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Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars