Salam Says Only Ibrahim in Charge of Negotiations over Arsal Hostages

Prime Minister Tammam Salam has said that General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim was solely in charge of negotiations aimed at securing the release of Lebanese soldiers and policemen taken hostage by the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front militants.

“Ibrahim is exerting strong efforts” in the negotiations aimed at freeing the servicemen who were taken captive by the jihadists after they overran the northeastern border of Arsal in August, local dailies quoted Salam as saying.

The decision to directly negotiate with the militants goes back to the procrastination of the Qatari mediator, Ahmed al-Khatib, the PM told his visitors.

But Salam stressed that the envoy's mediation has not stopped and that he was working in parallel with the efforts exerted by the Lebanese authorities to free the hostages.

“We have reached a difficult stage,” said the PM.

His statement came after Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri, who is also known as Abu Taqiyeh, denied that he had been appointed as an official mediator in the negotiations.

Al-Hujeiri has been acting as a liaison between the relatives of the hostages and their captors.

The Sheikh said his mediation led to al-Nusra Front's decision to postpone the execution of captive soldier Ali al-Bazzal.

The two jihadist groups have already executed three of the captives.

Al-Nusra, which is linked to al-Qaida, has given al-Khatib a list of demands to free the captives. It includes calls for the release of Islamist inmates at Roumieh prison.

The IS has reportedly made similar requests.

Meanwhile, Salam traveled to Brussels on Monday on a two-day official visit, during which he is scheduled to hold talks with his Belgian counterpart and European Union officials.

He is expected to ask for support to help Lebanon confront the burden of Syrian refugees.