Ibrahim Officially Tasked to Negotiate Troops Release in Qatar as Salam Calls Abductors 'Beasts'
Prime Minister Tammam Salam on Tuesday told the families of the abducted troops that their kidnappers' demands are still “unclear,” describing the captors as “ferocious beasts,” as General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim announced that he will work on the case.
The premier, who met at the Grand Serail with a big delegation from the troops' families, revealed that efforts to release their sons “are underway through a Qatari mediation,” stressing that “the government gives the top priority to this crisis and will not spare any effort to reach a happy ending.”
“The demands of the kidnappers are still unclear until the moment. They are acting cunningly and playing on our instincts and political disputes with the aim of dividing us, so the best response would be through depriving them of this chance and refraining from falling into their trap,” Salam told the families.
He warned of attempts to sow discord among “the abductees' families and the government, the government and the army, or the abductees' families and the army,” underlining that “the government has full confidence in the army and it has offered it unconditional political protection to liberate our abducted sons in the manner it sees appropriate.”
Syria-based jihadists had stormed the Bekaa town of Arsal on August 2, killing 19 army troops and abducting 35 soldiers and policemen before retreating to the mountains five days later. Al-Nusra Front eventually released five troops but the extremist Islamic State group has sent tensions soaring in Lebanon after it beheaded two soldiers.
Salam acknowledged that the attack on Arsal “was surprising and the government and army had not anticipated it,” noting that “we are not facing conventional enemies but rather ferocious beasts who have no values or religion.”
“Dealing with them will be difficult and it cannot be conventional,” Salam added.
During the meeting, the PM and the members of the ministerial crisis cell also heard the observations of the families delegation, which called for “keeping this case away from political bickering” and urged the government to “perform its duty and return our sons whatever that may cost.”
The meeting resulted in the formation of a committee representing the families that will maintain communication with the premiership. The relatives “left the meeting angry,” according to MTV.
Meanwhile at the Grand Serail, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim announced that he will work on the abductees case and that “the government is not negotiating with the terrorists but there is rather communication.”
Several TV networks said Ibrahim “will head to Qatar in the coming hours, after having obtained clear information regarding the demands of the troops' abductors.”
OTV meanwhile said Ibrahim has already visited “a capital that is following up on the case.”
Y.R.
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