Salam Claims 'Progress' on Hostage Crisis

Prime Minister Tammam Salam revealed there has been progress in the negotiations on the release of Lebanese soldiers and policemen taken captive by jihadists in August.

“There is progress but the issue is difficult, complicated and sensitive,” Salam told As Safir newspaper in remarks published on Monday.

“That's why we are working with the committee (tasked with resolving the issue) and (General Security chief) Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim to come up with positive results,” said Salam.

“Silence is the best way to resolve it and is an essential part of the negotiations” aimed at setting free the soldiers and police who were captured by al-Nusra Front and Islamic State group gunmen when they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The jihadists have executed three of the captives and threatened to kill more if the Lebanese authorities failed to meet their demands.

A Qatari negotiator has gone back and forth to Arsal's outskirts, where the fighters are entrenched, to discuss with the representatives of the two jihadist groups their demands.

Al-Nusra Front said that the 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.

Salam was confident that the measures taken by the Lebanese army on the border would stop the “military tension” in Syria from reaching Lebanon.

“Such tension is expected amid the uncomfortable situation in Syria and on the border,” he said.

“The army is ready to stop it and to keep the citizens safe,” the PM added.

In remarks to his visitors on Sunday, Salam dismissed reports about a split within his government.

He said there were difficulties that impacted the productivity of the cabinet but the political parties represented in the government were still holding it together.