An image grab taken from a video uploaded on YouTube Sunday allegedly shows footage of Iranians (background) kidnapped in Damascus, in which a rebel fighter charges the hostages are elite Revolutionary Guards. Fighters of the Al-Baraa Brigade of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) have “captured 48 of the shabiha (militiamen) of Iran who were on a reconnaissance mission in Damascus,” said a man dressed in FSA officer’s uniform in the online video. — AFP

DUBAI — Al-Arabiya television aired footage Sunday it said it had obtained from Syrian fighters of Iranians kidnapped in Damascus, in which they charge the hostages are elite Revolutionary Guards.



Fighters of the Al-Baraa Brigade of the Free Syrian Army have “captured 48 of the shabiha (militiamen) of Iran who were on a reconnaissance mission in Damascus,” said a man dressed as an FSA officer in the video screened by the Dubai-based channel.



“During the investigation, we found that some of them were officers in the Revolutionary Guards,” he said, showing documents taken from one of the men, who appeared in the background. In the footage, a group of men appeared sitting on the floor, while gunmen behind them carried the old Syrian flag that has been adopted by the fighters.



Abdel Nasser Shmeir, interviewed later by Al-Arabiya and presented as the commander of Al-Baraa Brigade, gave similar details.



“They are 48, in addition to an Afghani interpreter,” he said, claiming that the captives were members of a 150-strong group sent by Iran for “reconnaissance on the ground.”



Iran has appealed to governments with close relations with the Syrian opposition for help in securing the release of the 48 hostages it says were “pilgrims” visiting a shrine.



Shmeir said his men “have not yet entered into any contacts” about the hostages. — Agencies