Angered Servicemen Families Vow to Escalate as Officials Fail to Soothe their Distress
The families of abducted servicemen vowed on Tuesday to step up endeavors within 24 hours to press the state to “seriously” deal with the case of their sons, who were taken hostage by Islamist militants seven months ago.
“Even people will be targeted with our endeavors... we will not only close roads,” the relatives told reporters gathered near their camp site in downtown Beirut's Riad al-Solh square.
They lamented the state's negligence, revealing that the “government isn't dealing seriously with the case,” also revealing that negotiations reached a dead-end.
The comments of the relatives come in light of their meeting with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat at his residence in Clemenceau.
“We were only seeking some answers by meeting with Jumblat but after the meeting we perceived that the file is frozen,” the families remarked.
Negotiations with the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group became discrete after the government urged the families to remain mum about the mediation in the case to ensure the release of their sons.
“We vowed to abide by the government's secrecy policy but we didn't expect to be marginalized... Secrecy should have been only practiced with the media and not with the distressed mothers and fathers,” the families decried.
The policemen and soldiers were abducted by the Islamist gunmen in the wake of battles in the eastern border town of Arsal in August.
A few of them have since been released, four were executed, while the rest are still being held.
The families vowed to head to Casino du Liban within 24 hours and close its doors, wondering if such an action would put their case on a front burner.
“How was the crisis at the casino resolved swiftly but our 7-month old case is still awaiting solutions?” they wondered.
The hostage-takers had warned several times the Lebanese authorities that they would kill more captives if they did not meet their demands.
Among their demands is the release of Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.
“We are only seeking to be briefed on the developments,” the families said, pointing out that they will hold a meeting on Wednesday with General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.
H.K.
M.T.
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