Negotiations with Gunmen on Release of Captive Troops to Witness Breakthrough
The next few hours will witness a breakthrough concerning the soldiers and policemen held captive by Islamist gunmen, Muslim Scholars committee member Sheikh Samih Ezzeddine revealed.
“The security personnel, who were held hostage, were divided among several (extremist) factions,” Ezzedine told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.
The cleric warned of the “negative role played by some media outlets,” pointing out that it's causing “problems among the (extremist) groups, which is consequently impacting the release of the security personnel.”
He denied that a Muslim Scholars delegation will head to Syrian territories to continue the negotiation process with the kidnappers, stressing that that it is made from inside the town.
The fighting between troops and extremist fighters broke out on August 2 when jihadists from Syria attacked army and police posts in the northeastern border town Arsal after the arrest of a militant accused of belonging to the al-Qaida affiliate Al-Nusra Front.
During the fighting, several soldiers and policemen were seized by the militants and are still being held hostage.
The fate of at least 35 soldiers and policemen, who were held captive by Islamist gunmen in Arsal, remains unknown after contacts were lost with them.
Security source told al-Mustaqbal newspaper that the Islamist gunman have retreated to the mountainous area on the outskirts of Arsal along with the security personnel who were taken hostage.
Media reports said on Saturday that Islamists have demanded the release of Roumieh inmates held at the prison's Bloc B in exchange for the hostages.
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