On the 13th of October 1990, Fathers Albert Cherfan and Sleiman Abi Khalil were abducted with their helper Victoria Daccache by Syrian soldiers from the convent of Deir El Kalaa in Beit Mery. 15 years later, neither the families nor the government "officially" know what happened to the two priests.


The Syrian Version
Lebanese State Prosecutor Addoum, a pro-Syrian official, said that the two priests were buried near the Defense Ministry, along with 25 Syrian soldiers killed in combat in October of 1990. No evidences support the Syrian claims, while many sources acknowledge that the priest were arrested by the Syrian special forces because they tried to hide a group of Lebanese Soldiers (Tanious Kamil Al Haber and Antoine Zakhour, believed to be held in Syrian prisons) running away from the Syrian Army.

The Truth
Written testimonies from eyewitnesses (Druze people from the town of Qurnayel) who gave the two priests water to drink, state that they were in Syrian military vehicles, transferring them to Syria. They are currently held in the desert prison of Tadmur in Palmyra.

Supporting Facts
- A statement by the Lebanese human rights organization SOLIDE mentions “We have obtained irrefutable information that Father Sleiman Abi Khalil and Father Albert Cherfan are being held in Syria's desert prison of Tadmur (Palmyra)". The organization attributes the information to former Syrian political detainee Haitham Naal, who was released by Palmyra prison on the 11th of August 2002.
- Other prisoners released from Tadmur prison also confirm that they’ve seen the two priests.
- A letter written by hand from the two priests to the head of the maronite order. Check it here (in Arabic).