Families of Hostage Servicemen to Resume Sit-in at Riad al-Solh Square

The families of abducted soldiers and servicemen will resume their sit-in at Beirut's Riad al-Solh square after the storm subsides, the relatives' spokesman told the state-run National News Agency on Thursday.

Hussein Youssef said that the “families will return to Riad al-Solh during the upcoming days after the weather conditions compelled them to leave their campsite.”

“The storm damaged the tents,” Youssef told the news agency.

The spokesperson stressed that the protest is ongoing, pointing out that the families have no intention to escalate their endeavors.

He expressed hope that the “positive” statements that some officials expressed recently would lead to the swift release of the hostage servicemen.

Negotiations with the al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group became discrete after the government urged the families to remain mum about the mediation in the case to ensure the release of their sons.

The families of the servicemen decided in December to reopen the vital Riad al-Solh road as a “holiday gift” for the Lebanese.

The policemen and soldiers were abducted by the Islamist gunmen in the wake of battles in Arsal in August.

A few of them have since been released, four were executed, while the rest are still being held.

The hostage-takers had warned several times the Lebanese authorities that they would kill more captives if they did not meet their demands.

Among their demands is the release of Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.

H.K.

G.K.