MOSCOW. Dec 18 (Interfax) - Russia's Embassy in Syria has confirmed the abduction of two Russian citizens in this country, the diplomatic mission's press officer Sergei Markov said.
"Three people - two Russians and one Italian - were kidnapped on the Tartus-Homs highway in Syria. All those abducted are employees of a privately owned Syrian firm," Markov told Russia's Channel One over the phone on Tuesday.
"One of the Russians failed to get registered with consular authorities upon arrival in the country, and the second person is a citizen of both Syria and Russia," he said.
The Russian diplomatic mission is looking for the kidnapped people in close cooperation with the local authorities, the press officer said.
Italian news reports earlier identified the abducted persons as employees of a steel mill in the city of Latakia.