Metropolitan Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim and Metropolitan Boulous Yazigi, two Syrian bishops who were kidnapped by an unknown group on April 22, 2013, are still alive, according to new information obtained by Al-Monitor.

Authorities in Beirut have received "reliable reports" that the two bishops are still alive via Turkish governmental and intelligence agencies, reports Al-Monitor. For the past few weeks there has been some confusion about the fate of both religious leaders, as intelligence reports confused one bishop with an aide who was killed by the abductors, and surveillance implied that only one bishop was left.

However, more recent surveillance has shown that both bishops have been taking short daily walks again. The abductors seem to be the same group who originally kidnapped the bishops, thought to be an extremist Sunni group with links to Chechen militants currently operating in Syria. [Link]