Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday condemned as “disgraceful” the abduction of two Turkish pilots near Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, saying they were kidnapped in a prearranged and “professional” manner amid “the absence of the state’s security authorities.”

Al-Rahi warned that the operation will harm Lebanon’s image, urging state officials to stop being “reckless concerning security and people’s interests.”

“Enough with your personal disputes at the expense of Lebanon and its institutions and people,” the patriarch added, urging the release of the pilots as soon as possible. [Link]