Report: Efforts Underway to Reach Mechanism to Launch Negotiations to Free IS Servicemen
Efforts have been kicked off to ensure the safe release of the nine servicemen who are being held hostage by the extremist Islamic State group, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Tuesday.
Sources informed on the meetings of the concerned ministerial crisis cell told the daily: “Contacts are being held on several fronts to reach a mechanism that will act as the starting point for negotiations to release the captives.”
The first step lies in choosing a negotiator who can communicate with the al-Nusra Front command and its various affiliated armed groups.
This will determine the fate of the abducted servicemen.
The ministerial crisis cell had held a meeting on Monday to follow up on the release last week of 16 servicemen who were held hostage by the al-Nusra Front.
It pledged to exert “efforts in all directions” to secure the release of nine Lebanese servicemen held hostage by the IS.
The statement was issued after a Grand Serail meeting that was chaired by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and attended by Deputy PM and Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour and General Security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim.
The servicemen were kidnapped in August 2014 during deadly battles between the Lebanese army and jihadists from al-Nusra and the IS in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal.
The two groups are still entrenched in mountainous areas along the Lebanese-Syrian border.
M.T.
D.A.
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