Al-Nusra Demands 'Two Syrian Towns' in Return for Freeing Arsal Captives
Al-Qaida's Syria branch al-Nusra Front has demanded control over two regime-held Syrian towns near Lebanon and the release of five women from Lebanese jails in return for freeing the captive Lebanese servicemen, a spokesman for the hostages' families said on Monday.
“Al-Nusra's emir in Syria's Qalamoun, Abou Malek al-Talli, has sent a new demand with the families who visit their sons every now and then in the vicinity of (the Lebanese border town of) Arsal,” Hussein Youssef, the father of captive soldier Mohammed Youssef, told Turkey's state news agency Anatolia.
Al-Talli wants “control over the towns of al-Maara and Flita and the release of five women from Lebanese jails in return for freeing the captives who are in his custody,” Youssef said.
He revealed that the families had passed on the new demands to Prime Minister Tammam Salam during their meeting with him on Monday.
“We have full confidence in the premier and in General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and High Relief Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir, who are following up on the case with notable seriousness,” the spokesman added.
Asked about the families' channels of communication with al-Nusra Front, Youssef said the messages are being exchanged through “mediators.”
He however noted that contacts have been severed with the extremist Islamic State group for months now.
“We don't know anything about our sons who are in the custody of this group,” he added.
The towns of al-Maara and Flita are currently under the control of the Syrian regime and Hizbullah, according to Anatolia.
Syria's civil war has regularly spilled over into Lebanon, with Nusra and IS jihadists briefly overrunning the town of Arsal in August 2014 after gunbattles with the Lebanese army.
The jihadists withdrew after a ceasefire, but took with them several dozen hostages from the army and police, four of whom have since been executed.
Y.R.
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