Crisis Cell Agrees 'Steps' that May Free Troops as Report Says They're Held in Explosive-Rigged House
The so-called ministerial crisis cell on Saturday decided to take a number of “steps” that might eventually lead to the release of troops and police abducted by jihadist groups, amid reports that they are being held hostage in an “explosive-rigged” house on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.
After a meeting at the Grand Serail, the cell said it “discussed the situations and the latest developments in the negotiations aimed at freeing the captive security personnel.”
It also “decided to take a number of steps, which it hopes will lead to reaching practical results in this case through utilizing all the available means.”
The pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat had reported on Saturday morning that the captives are being held in a house, not in a cave as previously reported, on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.
The newspaper said that the house is rigged with a nest of explosives at its entrances to prevent any military operation to free them.
A security source told the newspaper that the captives are malnutritioned as they are only being fed bread or rice at times.
The troops and police were kidnapped by militants from al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group when they overran the town of Arsal in August and engaged in bloody clashes with the army.
The daily reported that Lebanese officials have been facing difficulties in dealing with a Qatari mediator, who is tasked to negotiate the safe release of the servicemen.
“The negotiator is young and is not communicating adequately with those responsible for the case,” a Lebanese source told Asharq al-Awsat.
The source presumed that the terrorists don't “trust the negotiator enough.”
He revealed that the abductees had informed the mediator about their demands but he has not yet passed them on to Lebanese authorities.
Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that negotiations are still limited to the Islamic State group and have not involved al-Nusra Front until the moment.
It added that Qatar is waiting to achieve a breakthrough with IS officials, expecting negotiations to be easier with al-Nusra Front.
The kidnappers have several demands to release the captives. One of them is the freedom of several Islamist inmates in Roumieh prison.
Their capture and the failure of the Lebanese authorities to secure their release had sparked protests across Lebanon.
The families fear that the extremists would kill their loved ones after they executed three of the hostages in August and September.
Earlier this week, the families moved their protest from Dahr al-Baidar to Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square, erecting three tens to pressure the state to exert more efforts to release their relatives from captivity.
H.K./Y.R.
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