Report: Ibrahim Says Syria Ready to Cooperate in Prisoners Swap Deal
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim informed the members of the hostage crisis cell that Syrian authorities expressed readiness to cooperate with Lebanon to enter a prisoners swap deal with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front that kidnapped Lebanese soldiers and policemen in August.
Sources told al-Mustaqbal newspaper published on Thursday that Ibrahim briefed the crisis cell on his recent visit to Damascus, stressing that “the Syrian regime is ready to cooperate and enter a prisoners swap deal.”
Prime Minister Tammam Salam headed on Wednesday night the crisis cell meeting.
However, the sources said that the General Security chief didn't “mention the details of such a cooperation.”
The Syrian government has reportedly set three conditions to engage in a prisoners swap with jihadists, demanding the Lebanese state to “officially appeal Damascus for help.”
The Syrian government also demanded the Lebanese army not to hand over to the Free Syrian Army the head of its command council, Colonel Abdullah Rifai, and to revive cooperation with the Syrian military in order to control the border and combat terrorism.
The Nusra said that the three-month hostage crisis would end if 10 inmates held at Lebanese prisons would be freed for each hostage or seven Lebanese inmates and 30 female prisoners held in Syria would be released for each abducted soldier and policeman or if five Lebanese and 50 women inmates would be freed.
The group added that the swap with the prisoners held at Syrian prisons should take place in Turkey or Qatar, while the exchange with the Lebanese authorities should take place on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.
The Islamic State group reportedly expressed readiness to release the Lebanese soldiers and policemen if the Lebanese state sets free five Islamist inmates in return for each captive.
The cabinet had previously totally rejected any swap deal with the jihadists.
Sources also told al-Mustaqbal newspaper that jihadists reassured the Qatari-appointed mediator, Syrian Ahmed al-Khatib, that the captive soldiers and policemen are safe for now and no other member will be executed.
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