Government Seeking to Unify Efforts to Negotiate Release of Captive Servicemen

The state is seeing to unify efforts exerted in the file of the abducted Lebanese soldiers and policemen as it refuses to task the Muslim Scholars Committee with the negotiations with Islamist militants.

According to An Nahar newspaper published on Tuesday, the cabinet reportedly refuses to task the committee with the mediation despite welcoming any positive effort that would secure the release of the captive servicemen.

Sources described the case as “complicated,” pointing out that negotiations reached a standstill, in particular with the multiple conditions that the Islamic State group and the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front have set without any coordination among them.

The IS reportedly expressed readiness to release the Lebanese soldiers and policemen in its captivity if the Lebanese state sets free five Islamist inmates in return for each captive.

The cabinet had previously totally rejected any swap deal with the jihadists.

The Nusra said that the four-month hostage crisis would end if 10 inmates held at Lebanese prisons would be freed for each hostage or seven Lebanese inmates and 30 female prisoners held in Syria would be released for each abducted soldier and policeman or if five Lebanese and 50 women inmates would be freed.

The cabinet, which will hold a session on Thursday, reportedly welcomed any positive effort in the case.

The Muslim Scholars Committee had recently announced that it will seek a pledge from the captors on halting executions after the relatives of the servicemen called on it to lead the negotiations.

However, the March 8 alliance reportedly rejects to task the committee with the case.

Security General chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim told As Safir newspaper published on Tuesday that the state is holding “strong cards” to press the release of the abductees, but he needs a unanimous approval to kick off his efforts.

Ibrahim noted that there are various sides intervening in the case, which is threatening the release of the soldiers and policemen.

For his part, Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat expressed regret over the latest developments regarding the issue, saying: “We don't want to give people false pledges.”

The hostage troops and policemen were captured when jihadists from the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State groups briefly overran Arsal in August and engaged in fierce battles with the Lebanese army.

Four captives have been executed so far, and the jihadists have threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless there is a deal to free Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.

H.K.

M.T.