Ahmed Fleiti Says Tasked by Abou Faour to Mediate in Servicemen Case

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Ahmed Fleiti, deputy municipal chief of the Bekaa border town of Arsal, announced Sunday that Health Minister Wael Abou Faour has tasked him with mediating in the case of the servicemen who were taken hostage by jihadist groups.

“Abou Faour tasked me with mediating in the servicemen's case and I met the Islamic State group in Arsal's outskirts today and they accepted my designation,” Fleiti told LBCI television.

He also noted that the Lebanese army's Intelligence Directorate has been “aware” of his mediation “since Saturday.”

Hassan Youssef, the father of captive serviceman Mohammed Youssef, had told LBCI earlier on Sunday that the captors contacted the hostages' families to inform them that they had accepted Fleiti's mediation in the case.

“This issue will comfort the families, especially that Fleiti can play an important role seeing as he is the son of Arsal and that he enjoys the state's approval,” Youssef added.

MTV for its part quoted a Syrian source in Syria's Qalamun as saying that the IS group “has accepted the designation of Arsal deputy municipal chief Ahmed Fleiti as a mediator in the negotiations.”

Meanwhile, Sheikh Wissam al-Masri, another supposed intermediary, told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) that his mediation “has not ended until the moment.”

“I will head to Arsal's outskirts in the coming hours to discuss means to resolve the case of the servicemen,” Masri said.

He revealed that “there is a lot of positivity in the case and communication with the Islamic State is going in a good manner.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat had on Saturday announced that Minister Abou Faour will maintain his indirect contacts with the IS and al-Nusra Front over the case of the hostages.

On Friday, Jumblat urged the IS to “appreciate” his stance over the negotiations, noting that Abou Faour “has exerted efforts and will continue to do so according to the approach of a swap deal, away from the calculations of the others.”

Jumblat voiced his remarks in the wake of a threat from the Islamic State group, which held him responsible for the possible execution of three captives, along with former premier Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea.

Around 25 policemen and soldiers are being held by the IS and the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front.

Four hostages have been executed by the two groups. The servicemen were kidnapped in early August during clashes between the jihadists and the Lebanese army in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The militants have demanded that Islamist prisoners held in Lebanese jails be released in exchange for the hostages.

Y.R.

Comments 2
Default-user-icon puppet (Guest) 21 December 2014, 17:11

I respect Mr. and Mrs. Mowaten, Mr. Wafiq Safa, and Mr. and Mrs. Flamethrower

Default-user-icon +oua nabka + (Guest) 21 December 2014, 18:50

did not know that our new prime minister is abou faour