Belgian teacher and Italian journalist freed from Syria

A Belgian teacher who had been kidnapped in Syria has returned to Belgium after he and an Italian war reporter for the Turin daily La Stampa were freed on Sunday. A few hours after their release was announced, Pierre Piccinin and Domenico Quirico landed at Rome’s Ciampino airport where they were met by  Italy’s foreign minister, Emma Bonnino. Italian prime minister Enreico Letta called his Belgian counterpart Elio Di Rupo to confirm the two hostages’ release, the Italian news agency ANSA said. Piccinin then flew into Melsbroek military airport to be reunited with his parents. Home affairs minister Joëlle Milquet, Crisis Centre director Jaak Raes and representatives of the federal police were also present. The teacher "is in good health and will now rest for a few hours," the Crisis Centre said. The circumstances surrounding the release of Piccinin and Quirico have not yet been revealed. Both had been kidnapped in western Syria in May.

(AP)