Hujeiri Says al-Talli Not in Arsal as Captive Soldier Family Meets Son in Outskirts

Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri denied Monday media reports alleging that Abou Malek al-Talli, the so-called emir of al-Nusra Front in Qalamoun, had sought refuge at his residence in the northeastern border town of Arsal after fleeing a Hizbullah offensive in the outskirts.

“Abou Malek al-Talli took part in the meeting with the family of the (captive) soldier George Khoury. He confirmed that he is present in the outskirts and will not enter Arsal or allow a battle in it,” LBCI television quoted Hujeiri as saying.

“Al-Talli will not close the door of negotiations in the case of the captive servicemen and he hopes a solution will be reached as soon as possible,” Hujeiri added.

Khoury's family visited him in Arsal's outskirts after it was “invited” by al-Nusra Front, state-run National News Agency reported.

The family “was reassured about his health and it will issue a statement in this regard,” NNA added.

Earlier in the day, Hizbullah's al-Manar TV quoted witnesses as saying that al-Talli “fled to Arsal and Mustafa al-Hujeiri, aka Abou Taqiyeh, is hosting him in his house.”

In its Monday issue, pro-Hizbullah al-Akhbar newspaper had reported that al-Talli fled the fierce battles with Hizbullah and Syrian regime forces into the town of Arsal.

Al-Talli entered Arsal on Sunday accompanied by two of the group's prominent leaders, sources told the daily.

The sources identified one of the leaders as “Abou Souhaib”, saying he was in charge of negotiations with the Lebanese state over the fate of the servicemen who are being held hostage by the group.

Al-Nusra and the Islamic State group briefly overran Arsal last August, and are still holding 25 soldiers and policemen hostage. Four have been executed so far, and the jihadists have threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless there is a deal to free Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.

Security sources told al-Akhbar that the Army Intelligence obtained information that helped it in locating the hideout of one of al-Nusra's leaders in Arsal. Such information was however denied by the group, which noted that the intended leader was still on the outskirts of the town.

Hizbullah backed by Syrian troops has succeeded in seizing swathes of territory under the control of al-Nusra Front in Qalamoun, along the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Last week, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah claimed that the party managed to "liberate dozens of square kilometers" of land in al-Qalamoun, pushing back al-Nusra Front and its allies.

He vowed that Hizbullah will next turn its sights in al-Qalamoun on the IS group, which has seized chunks of Syria and Iraq.

Hizbullah insists it is fighting in Syria to prevent extremist groups from entering Lebanon.

Security sources denied to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Monday that gunmen fleeing the Qalamoun battles breached the security measures that the army took to separate the town from its outskirts.

“There are Syrian encampments on the outskirts of the town, which are not under the control of the Lebanese security agencies,” the sources stressed.

The remarks come in light of media reports saying that the number of male refugees at four Syrian encampments in areas between Wadi al-Hosn and Wadi Hmeid, which are not under the Lebanese army control, have soared.

The sources estimated that gunmen are hiding among refugees.

The total area of the Qalamoun being contested is about 1,000 square kilometers — of which 340 square kilometers (131 square miles) lie in Lebanon.