Gunmen abduct Iranian engineers in Syria

The Iranian mission in Damascus confirmed the abduction of five Iranian electrical engineers by unknown gunmen in the restive city of Homs in Syria In a statement issued by Iran's Embassy in Damascus, it was confirmed that the group of engineers was abducted en route to the 450-MW power plant they were involved in building in Homs at 6:30 a.m. local time. The embassy statement further said that it is closely working with relevant Syrian authorities and organizations to determine the fate of the kidnapped Iranian nationals. Homs has been the scene of recent unrest in Syria that originated in mid-March, with demonstrations being held both against and in favor of President Bashar al-Assad. Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March with organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border guards being reported across the country. Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes. The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from abroad. In October, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after President Bashar al-Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but the US and Israeli plots could spark some new unrests in certain parts of the country.