Rifi Rejects Syrian Conditions to Resolve Case of Captive Servicemen

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi vowed to object on a condition set by Syrian authorities which demanded the Lebanese state to “officially appeal Damascus for help” to engage in a prisoners swap with jihadists to guarantee the safe release of the abducted Lebanese soldiers and policemen.

Rifi stressed in comments to al-Liwaa newspaper on Wednesday that Syria's conditions are “completely rejected.”

The minister said that he will never grant the Syrian regime any “innocent plea... No matter what.”

The Syrian government also demanded the Lebanese army not to hand over to the Free Syrian Army the head of its command council, Colonel Abdullah Rifai, and to revive cooperation with the Syrian military in order to control the border and combat terrorism.

Al-Nusra and the IS groups have been holding several troops and policemen hostage since August 2, when they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal and engaged in bloody clashes with the army.

The two groups have since executed three troops and threatened to murder more hostages if Lebanese authorities didn't fulfill their demands.

The Nusra said that the three-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 group added that the swap with the prisoners held at Syrian prisons should take place in Turkey or Qatar, while the exchange with the Lebanese authorities should take place on the outskirts of Arsal.

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

There are hundreds of Islamist inmates in Roumieh prison awaiting their trials. They were reportedly involved in terrorist acts, including planning suicide attacks, belonging to terrorist groups and other charges.

According to al-Liwaa published on Wednesday, mediators advised the Lebanese state to implement al-Nusra's first condition instead of turning to the Syrian regime for help.

H.K.

G.K.