Arsal Captors Demand Release of 2 Female Roumieh Inmates, Safe Passage of Refugees to Syria's Fleita
The relatives of the servicemen abducted by the al-Qaida-affiliated al-Nusra Front were allowed to visit their loved ones over the Fitr holiday, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday.
It said that 60 family members were allowed to visit on Saturday the 16 captives held on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.
The relatives told the daily that the hostages “are in good health and are being treated in the best possible way.”
In addition, they revealed that the captors are demanding the release of Saja al-Dulaimi, a divorcee of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and Joumana Hmayyed, who is affiliated with al-Qaida-linked groups, from Roumieh Prison.
Another demand, made by Emir of al-Nusra Front in al-Qalamoun, Abou Malek al-Talli, is allowing the safe passage of Syrians in encampments to the Syrian town of Fleita, said the relatives.
The families of the captives accused the Lebanese state of neglecting the case of their loved ones, saying: “Some sides are practicing political spite.”
The servicemen were abducted from Arsal in August in the wake of clashes with al-Nusra Front and Islamic State gunmen in the area.
A few of the captives have since been released, four were executed, while the rest remain held.
The families told al-Hayat that they are scheduled to meet with General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim on Tuesday to discuss the latest negotiation efforts in the case.
The official had recently visited Qatar to that end.
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