Report: ISIL, Nusra Allow Relatives to Visit Arsal Captives

The Islamist captors of the servicemen abducted in August from the northeastern border town of Arsal have recently agreed to allow their loved ones to visit them, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

Political sources revealed that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front have agreed to allow the relatives to meet with the abductees through a mediator from Arsal.

To that end, the family of captive soldier Khaled Hassan had recently met with him in the outskirts of Arsal.

Meanwhile, al-Akhbar newspaper said Saturday that Lebanese authorities have determined that holding negotiations with the captors is the best option to ensure the release of the kidnapped soldiers and policemen.

Al-Nusra Front and the IS groups have been holding several troops and policemen hostage since August 2, when they overran 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.

Al-Nusra Front 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.

M.T.