2 Germans kidnapped in eastern Lebanon

Gunmen kidnapped two German citizens in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa valley, and are demanding ransom money for their release, according to the official National News Agency. The two victims were "taken to an unknown location" after their kidnappers tried in vain to coerce a cash transfer bureau to hand over money in one of the abductees' names, said the NNA. "The kidnappers later made a call to one of their friends, demanding ransom," the agency added. Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, a security official said the police received information of the kidnapping late Friday. "We are following up on the case. It appears to be a non-political kidnapping for financial reasons," he said. "The emergency operator received a call from people saying they were German citizens who had been kidnapped. "Later, a Lebanese man called demanding a ransom of 6,000 euros ($8,000)," he added. Another police source told AFP the two kidnapping victims were dual nationals, holding both German and Lebanese citizenship. The kidnapping is the first of its kind since 2011, when a group of seven Estonian cyclists were abducted for four months.