BEIRUT: Syrian rebels placed a Lebanese journalist "under house arrest" in the Aleppo district of Azaz, north Syria, LBCI reported Saturday.

The Lebanese television station quoted a statement from the group – the rebels of Azzaz –saying that they "detained Lebanese journalist Fidaa Itani ... because his work was not suitable with the course of the Syrian revolution and revolutionaries."

"Itani was placed under house arrest for a short period of time," the statement added.

Speaking to LBCI, Abu Ibrahim, the head of a rebel group in Azaz, confirmed that Itani was abducted by rebels in that area.

He added that Itani, a Syria correspondent for several media outlets, drew the suspicions of the fighters he was accompanying when the reporter started taking numerous pictures of locations.

Abu Ibrahim said the rebels handed him Itani, adding that the reporter would remain in Azaz for a while.

Abu Ibrahim is the head of the rebel group who kidnapped 11 Lebanese pilgrims in Azaz on May 22, shortly after crossing into Syria from Turkey. They were on their way back to Lebanon following a pilgrimage to Shiite holy sites in Iran.

Two of the pilgrims have been released so far.