IS Demands Release of Five Islamist Inmates in Return for Each Captive Serviceman

The Islamic State group announced on Wednesday its readiness to release the Lebanese soldiers and policemen, who were taken captive by the jihadist group along with al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front in August, if the Lebanese state sets free five Islamist inmates in return for each captive.

MTV quoted a Syrian source in Syria's al-Qalamoun area as saying: “The IS agrees to kick off negotiations with the Lebanese side as soon as possible.”

“The group is demanding five Roumieh inmates in return for each captive after sympathizing with the relatives of the soldiers and policemen.”

Earlier on Wednesday, al-Mustaqbal daily reported that IS is demanding the release of 22 Islamist inmates from Lebanese jails in return for setting free one of the soldiers or policeman taken captive.

The newspaper quoted official sources as saying that the IS called for the release of 22 of the inmates in a prisoners swap.

The Nusra has 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.

The soldiers and policemen were taken hostage when the jihadists overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in early August.

Al-Mustaqbal said Tuesday that the Lebanese authorities officially informed the Qatari-appointed mediator, Syrian Ahmed al-Khatib, that it had approved the demand to exchange each captive with five Islamist inmates and 50 female prisoners.

The relatives of the servicemen burned tires and blocked roads Monday after they said IS extremists threatened to kill their loved ones.

The jihadists already have already killed three of the captives, beheading two.

The families of the captured men have surrounded the Grand Serail, which is Prime Minister Tammam Salam's office, with protest tents, demanding the government to negotiate faster.

Monday's demonstration began after militants threatened to kill more hostages unless the government revoked sentences handed down to Islamist prisoners Friday night. Four Islamist militants received life sentences, while a fifth was sentenced to death in absentia.

G.K.

H.K.