• Head of the Mar Thecla monastery in Maloula, Mother Pelagia Sayyaf, who was freed with other nuns after being held by rebels for more than three months, walks with head of Lebanese general security, Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, right, after her arrival at the Syrian border with Lebanon at the Jdidat Yabbous crossing on March 10, 2014. Khaled Al Hariri / Reuters
    Head of the Mar Thecla monastery in Maloula, Mother Pelagia Sayyaf, who was freed with other nuns after being held by rebels for more than three months, walks with head of Lebanese general security, Maj Gen Abbas Ibrahim, right, after her arrival at the Syrian border with Lebanon at the Jdidat Yabbous crossing on March 10, 2014. Khaled Al Hariri / Reuters
  • Syrian orthodox church officials meet some of the 16 nuns and their helpers freed by rebels on Monday, March 10, 2014, ending their four-month captivity. Their release is a rare successful example of a prisoner-exchange deal between Syrian government authorities and the rebels. AP Photo/ SANA
    Syrian orthodox church officials meet some of the 16 nuns and their helpers freed by rebels on Monday, March 10, 2014, ending their four-month captivity. Their release is a rare successful example of a prisoner-exchange deal between Syrian government authorities and the rebels. AP Photo/ SANA
  • Some of the nuns and their assistants, who were freed after being held by rebels since December, greet church officials at the Syrian border town of Jdeidat Yabous, early on Monday, March. 10, 2014. AP Photo / SANA
    Some of the nuns and their assistants, who were freed after being held by rebels since December, greet church officials at the Syrian border town of Jdeidat Yabous, early on Monday, March. 10, 2014. AP Photo / SANA
  • In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a group of nuns who were freed after being held by Syrian rebels, greet church officials at the Syrian border town of Jdeidat Yabous, early Monday, March. 10, 2013. Rebels in Syria freed more than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns on Monday, ending their four-month captivity in exchange for Syrian authorities releasing dozens of female prisoners. The release of the nuns and their helpers, 16 women in all, is a rare successful prisoner-exchange deal between Syrian government authorities and the rebels seeking to overthrow the rule of President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/SANA)
    In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, a group of nuns who were freed after being held by Syrian rebels, greet church officials at the Syrian border town of Jdeidat Yabous, early Monday, March. 10, 2013. Rebels in Syria freed more than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns on Monday, ending their four-month captivity in exchange for Syrian authorities releasing dozens of female prisoners. The release of the nuns and their helpers, 16 women in all, is a rare successful prisoner-exchange deal between Syrian government authorities and the rebels seeking to overthrow the rule of President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/SANA)
  • The Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns were seized by rebels battling to overthrow the Syrian regime from their convent in the village of Maloula, north of Damascus in December.The nuns were held initially in Yabrud city in the countryside near Damascus, but they were moved following the military offensive against Yabrud. Youssef Badawi / EPA
    The Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns were seized by rebels battling to overthrow the Syrian regime from their convent in the village of Maloula, north of Damascus in December.The nuns were held initially in Yabrud city in the countryside near Damascus, but they were moved following the military offensive against Yabrud. Youssef Badawi / EPA
  • The kidnapped nuns arrive on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon after a nine-hour journey that took them from Yabrud into Lebanon, and then back into Syria on March 10, 2014. Louai Beshara / AFP
    The kidnapped nuns arrive on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon after a nine-hour journey that took them from Yabrud into Lebanon, and then back into Syria on March 10, 2014. Louai Beshara / AFP
  • One of the Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns, kidnapped north of Damascus on December 6, is interviewed following their release by Syrian rebels on Monday, March 10, 2014. Youssef Badawi / EPA
    One of the Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns, kidnapped north of Damascus on December 6, is interviewed following their release by Syrian rebels on Monday, March 10, 2014. Youssef Badawi / EPA
  • More than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns were finally released on Monday, March 10, 2014, after being held by anti Assad regime rebels in Syria for four months. They were exchanged for rebel women prisoners held in government jails. AP Photo / SANA
    More than a dozen Greek Orthodox nuns were finally released on Monday, March 10, 2014, after being held by anti Assad regime rebels in Syria for four months. They were exchanged for rebel women prisoners held in government jails. AP Photo / SANA
  • Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns were seized by rebels from their convent in the village of Maloula, north of Damascus, on December 6. Thety were freed on Monday, March 10, 2014, after a nine-hour journey weaving across the Syrian and Lebanon borders. Youssef Badawai / EPA
    Syrian Greek Orthodox nuns were seized by rebels from their convent in the village of Maloula, north of Damascus, on December 6. Thety were freed on Monday, March 10, 2014, after a nine-hour journey weaving across the Syrian and Lebanon borders. Youssef Badawai / EPA

World

In pictures: Syrian nuns freed

Rob Gurdebeke

March 10, 2014

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Syria