General Security Confirms Bodies Found near Border Not of IS-Held Troops

The General Directorate of General Security confirmed Wednesday that corpses recently discovered in the Lebanese-Syrian border region are not of Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by the extremist Islamic State group.

The announcement was made after DNA samples were taken from the families of the captive troops.

“As part of the follow-up on the case of the soldiers held hostage by the terrorist IS group, the General Directorate of General Security obtained information about the presence of four dead bodies in an area on the Lebanese-Syrian border,” a General Security statement said.

“A General Security patrol accompanied by a forensic doctor headed to the location and took samples from the corpses for DNA tests,” it added.

“After comparing the samples with those taken from the families of the captive soldiers, the results did not match,” the statement said.

The fate of nine Lebanese troops held by IS has been shrouded with mystery for several months now and the families are demanding to know whether their sons are alive or dead.

The nine troops were among more than 30 servicemen who were abducted during the deadly 2014 battle between jihadists and the Lebanese army in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal.

While al-Nusra Front released 16 captives as part of a swap deal in December 2015, nine hostages remain in the IS' captivity and Lebanese officials have vowed to exert efforts to secure their release.