Report: Government Mulls to Approve Proposal on Arsal Captives

Progress was made in the case of the so-called Arsal hostages after reportedly the kidnappers of the Lebanese servicemen approved a proposal to resolve it and the government said it was mulling to accept it.

An Nahar daily reported on Monday that the proposal was made by the deputy municipal chief of the northeastern border town of Arsal, Ahmed Fleiti, and Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujairi.

Both have been acting as mediators between Lebanese officials and the militants who took the soldiers and policemen captive during a cross-border attack on Arsal in August last year.

However, the government has not officially tasked them with negotiating their release and has repeatedly said that General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim is the only person entitled to negotiate on behalf of the Lebanese authorities.

The mediation of Fleiti and al-Hujairi is being carried out in outmost secrecy, said An Nahar.

The kidnappers have approved their proposal and the government is heading towards giving it the green light after removing some of its obstacles, it said.

The report did not give further details.

But An Nahar said that Flaiti received a pledge that the militants from the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group would not kill more captives.

The militants have executed four of the hostages.

Among their demands is the release of Islamists from Roumieh prison.