US citizens 'missing in Lebanon'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7660201.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Two Americans on holiday in Lebanon have gone missing, the US embassy in Beirut said, appealing for information on their possible whereabouts.

The pair were named as Holli Chmela, 27, and Taylor Luck, 23.

An embassy statement said they had been out of contact since they reportedly left Beirut last week for the northern port city of Tripoli.

The embassy said it was co-ordinating with Lebanon's security forces as well as US embassies in Syria and Jordan.

"The families are asking for the public's assistance in providing information on the possible whereabouts of the two US citizens," a US embassy statement said.

Sectarian fighting

The embassy said the pair travelled to Lebanon on holiday on 29 September from Jordan, and had told a friend on 1 October that they were planning to travel to Tripoli that day.

The embassy said it was working with Lebanon's security forcesThey were then going to cross by land into Syria before returning - again by land - to Jordan on 4 October.

The US embassy issued a statement earlier this week warning of potential violence against Americans in Lebanon, and called on its nationals to increase their security awareness.

Efforts have been under way recently to try and reconcile Lebanon's rival factions after a wave of violence in May pushed the country close to civil war.

Pro-government Sunni fighters and pro-Syrian gunmen, whose fighting has centred on Tripoli, agreed to a peace deal earlier this month.

But despite the agreement, the city has witnessed sectarian fighting and car bombs targeting Lebanese troops.