Report: Indirect Contacts between Hizbullah, Nusra Front to Exchange Hostages

Indirect contacts are reportedly ongoing between Hizbullah and al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front to exchange hostages and the bodies of fighters, who were captured and killed in clashes Syria's al-Qalamun region.

The pan-Arab daily al-Hayat said on Tuesday that contacts are being carried out via mediators.

According to the report, Hizbullah is seeking to exchange the bodies and hostages of Nusra Front fighters with those of the party.

The Syrian forces alongside the Shiite group have seized control of al-Qalamun in April.

Meanwhile, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat reported that a heated debate has emerged between the March 8 and 14 alliances over the possibility of reviving security coordination with the neighboring country Syria.

The newspaper said that the March 8 alliance justifies its stance by stressing the “importance of controlling the country's eastern border to repel gunmen.”

However, the March 14 coalition rejects such coordination as “several countries no longer recognize the Syrian regime and coordination with it would be like coordinating with an armed terrorist group.”

The daily said that head of the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council Nasri Khoury delivered a message to Lebanese leaders from Syrian President Bashar Assad, urging them to coordinate with his regime.

The cabinet reportedly didn't discuss the message in order to prevent any rift between its members.

The March 14 coalition considered that Hizbullah's deployment in the area to confront Syrian opposition gunmen violates Lebanon's sovereignty, “embarrasses” the cabinet and lures extremists to target the country.

Lebanese parties are sharply divided over the crisis in Syria as the March 8 alliance continuously expresses its support to Assad, while the March 14 camp backs the popular revolt.

H.K.

M.T.