Ibrahim: Negotiations to Release Servicemen are Serious, but Time Needed to Reach Happy Ending
General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim stressed that the ongoing negotiations to release the servicemen who were kidnapped by extremists in 2014 are serious, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.
He added however to the daily that these efforts “have not yet reached their happy ending.”
“We should no longer remain reserved, because we saw what happened last time when we reached an advanced stage in the negotiations, but they fell apart at the last minute,” he explained.
He stressed however that the issue should be kept away from media speculation.
Meanwhile, the daily al-Mustaqbal daily reported Saturday that there are “positive” developments linked to the release of the servicemen, who were abducted in August 2014 in the wake of clashes between the army and Islamic State and al-Nusra Front militants in the northeastern border town of Arsal.
A security source refused to divulge details on the negotiations or a date for the release, saying: “Serious progress has been achieved.”
“This should be crowned with the hostages' imminent release,” he hoped.
He credited the progress to the reactivation of negotiations conducted by Ibrahim and sponsored by Qatari officials.
Media reports on Friday said that the servicemen will be released soon in a prisoner swap with inmates in Lebanese jails.
Four hostages had been executed and the two militant groups had threatened to kill more captives if Lebanese authorities do not fulfill their demands.
The demands include the release of Islamist prisoners, including women, from Lebanon's prisons.
Source: Naharnet
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