Families of Hostages Burn Tires as IS Threatens to Execute Another Captive
The families of captive servicemen burned tires on Monday near the Grand Serail in Beirut's Riad Solh Square after receiving threats from Islamist gunmen.
The relatives of the soldiers and policemen, who were taken hostage by al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State group, said that they received a phone call from the abductors threatening to execute one of the soldiers.
They said that the execution threat will be implemented in the upcoming two days due to the government procrastination regarding a prisoners swap deal.
The state-run National News Agency reported that the wife of IS hostage Khaled Moqbel received a phone call from her husband informing her of the group's threats.
One of the relatives said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) that the call was made by one of the hostages, who is held captive by the IS.
The security force members were captured when the jihadists briefly overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in August, sparking fierce battles with Lebanese troops.
Four have been executed so far, and the jihadists have threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless there is a deal to free Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.
The IS reportedly expressed readiness to release the Lebanese soldiers and policemen in its captivity 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.
The Nusra said that the four-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.
Later, Health Minister Abou Faour and Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb met with a delegation from the families of captive servicemen.
“The crisis cell has not yet decided to halt negotiations to release the Arsal captives and it is unfortunate that the talks have returned to square one,” Abou Faour said.
Another meeting was held between the delegation and Kataeb party chief Amin Gemayel at the Saifi headquarters.
H.K.
G.K.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/159280 |