Aoun Takes Jab at Officials over Abducted Troops
Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Wednesday criticized how political and security officials are dealing with the case of the troops and policemen who were taken hostage during Arsal's clashes.
“I was asked what would I do if one of the captives was a son of mine and I said 'ask me what I would do if I were in charge' (of the situation),” Aoun said on his official Twitter account.
“The first question would then become irrelevant,” Aoun added.
The FPM leader's jab could be a hint that has to do with the stalled presidential race, in which he is running in an undeclared manner. He is reportedly still engaged in negotiations with al-Mustaqbal movement over the presidential vote, although eleven fruitless electoral sessions have been held so far amid a boycott by his bloc and that of his ally Hizbullah.
Around 35 soldiers and policemen were abducted by militants from the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front during deadly clashes with the Lebanese army in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal in early August. The fighting erupted after the army arrested a top militant leader, Imad Jomaa.
A few of them have since been released, while two others were beheaded, prompting a backlash against Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
A ministerial panel tasked with following up on the case of the captives is mulling “all the available options” in coordination with a Qatari delegation, which is negotiating the release of the hostages with the Islamist kidnappers.
In the wake of the Arsal battle, the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc led by Aoun had demanded official clarifications regarding the gunmen's pullout from the town and their abduction of the troops.
Aoun himself has rejected any deal involving the release of Islamist inmates from the Roumieh prison in return for freeing the Lebanese hostages.
Y.R.
M.T.
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