Geagea Says Probe Must Involve Hizbullah-Led Deal that Led to IS 'Escape'
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Sunday that a probe into the 2014 kidnap and consequent execution of Lebanese servicemen should also involve a Hizbullah-led deal that resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of Islamic State jihadists following the army's last month border offensive.
“We support any probe but the investigation should also target those who exerted efforts to allow IS militants to escape and be spared prosecution,” said Geagea during the LF's annual rally in commemoration of the “Martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance.”
“Some parties were dismayed that the army was about to achieve a complete victory, so they sought to deprive it and deprive the Lebanese of the fruits of this victory,” Geagea added, referring to Hizbullah.
President Michel Aoun has ordered a probe into the 2014 abduction of the troops and policemen. His move came after Lebanon recovered the bodies of ten slain servicemen as part of Hizbullah's agreement with the IS group.
Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has argued that the deal with IS was the “only way” to unveil the fate of the hostages.
Separately, Geagea rejected calls by Hizbullah and its allies for restoring full political and economic relations with Damascus.
“Before some parties try to sign agreements with Bashar al-Assad's regime, let them return our captives and those who went missing in Syrian prisons, topped by Butros Khawand,” Geagea said.
“Let the Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination Treaty which was approved under Syrian occupation of Lebanon be annulled, let the unconstitutional Higher Lebanese-Syrian Council be abolished, and let those convicted in the case of the blasts that targeted al-Taqwa and al-Salam mosques be handed over, topped by Ali al-Mamlouk,” he added.
“Let the border with Syria be demarcated and let the Lebanese identity of the Shebaa Farms be acknowledged,” Geagea went on to say.
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