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Conflict Incident Report

Four Soviet diplomats were abducted in Mar Elias and in the Cola area. Three were released and one was killed

Associated Timeline/Case: 
Old Wars, New Wars | January, 1983 to December, 1988
Date of incident: 
September 30, 1985 to October 30, 1985
Death toll: 
1 person
Number of Injured: 
0persons

September 30, 1985: Soviet diplomats Valery Mirikov, Oleg Spirin, and Arkadi Katkov, and the Soviet embassy physician, Nikolai Sversky, were abducted in Mar Elias and in the Cola area, both in West Beirut. Katkov’s body was found close to the Cité Sportive in West Beirut on October 2, 1985. On October 30, 1985, the three other victims were released in Corniche el Mazra’a

Primary category: 
Hostage Taking Situation [inc. attempt, release]