Eight Syrian Alawites were kidnapped Monday in the Lebanese border area of Wadi Khaled while en route to Syria, a security source told Xinhua.

The Syrians on board a minibus were abducted by members of two families from Wadi Khaled in retaliation for the disappearance of their relatives in Syria more than a year ago, the source said anonymously.

The kidnapping happened "shortly after the bus crossed the Syrian-Lebanese border via the Jisr Qmar crossing into the Wadi Khaled area of north Lebanon," the source said, adding that troops have been sent to search for the hostages.