Abducted Troops Appear in Video as Salam Says Media Discretion Advised on 'Sensitive Issue'

The kidnapped security personnel appeared early on Saturday in a video broadcast by the jihadist Al-Nusra Front, calling on Hizbullah to withdraw its fighters from Syria.

The nine men -- apparently eight policemen and a soldier -- are among 24 security forces still in the hands of jihadists after fighting erupted in the northeastern Bekaa town of Arsal on the Syrian border earlier this month.

In the video posted late Friday night on Islamist websites, the men are seated in front of a black flag with the logo of Al-Nusra, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaida.

Although the men say they are speaking freely, they use the language of Al-Nusra and other extremist groups in referring to Hizbullah, which means "Party of God," as the "Party of Satan."

They call on their family members to stage demonstrations and block roads in the country to protest Hizbullah's involvement in Syria, where the party is fighting alongside the regime to put down a Sunni-dominated uprising.

One of them says the hostages have been warned they will be killed unless their families take action.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tammam Salam voiced hopes on Saturday that all media outlets address the thorny issue of the abducted Lebanese soldiers with care, urging that all efforts in that regard stay out of media focus, al-Mustaqbal newspaper reported.

Salam stressed that the issue is very delicate and that “we should be keen to preserve the soldiers' safety. The matter should be addressed with discretion because it has to do with soldiers who defend their land and nation.

“We must address it with patience and objectivity.”

“Offering help regarding the issue of abducted soldiers is not monopolized by any one. Any one able to offer help in that file should address it correctly and keep it away from media deliberations,” said the Premier.

The soldiers and security forces were abducted by the Islamist militants in Arsal at the end of clashes between the army and the gunmen in the northeastern town earlier in August.

The fighting broke out on August 2 upon the arrest of a member of the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

They ended with a ceasefire on August 7 and the withdrawal of the gunmen with the Lebanese captives.

A Muslim Scholars Committee delegation had announced on Friday that it was suspending its negotiation efforts to release the captives, saying that it will pave the way for other initiatives to that end.

The video of the soldiers went viral on al-Nusra affiliated social media but was later withdrawn.

D.A.

M.T.