Ibrahim: Looking for 'Serious' Mediator to Negotiate Release of Abducted Servicemen

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said on Friday that efforts continue to find a “serious” mediator to negotiate the release of servicemen abducted in 2014 by the Islamic State group, the National News Agency reported.

“We are looking for a serious mediator to negotiate the file of the servicemen abducted by the IS,” said Ibrahim during a trip to West Bekaa.

“We don't have accurate information whether the servicemen in the captivity of the IS are still alive or were assassinated. They (IS) have vowed on several occasions that they would provide us with evidence, but they did not keep their word,” the VDL (100.5) quoted Abbas as saying.

The Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front, which re-branded itself as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in July when it split from the al-Qaida movement, abducted over 30 servicemen in clashes between militants and the Lebanese army in the northeastern border town of Arsal in August 2014.

Sixteen held by the Jabhat Fateh al-Islam were freed in December last year through a Qatari-mediated deal that also included a prisoner swap to release a number of inmates from Lebanese jails.

The two groups had previously executed four of the hostages.

Nine hostages are still being held by the IS and their families do not know much about their fate.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 1
Thumb barrymore 30 September 2016, 11:38

Ibrahim: Looking for 'Serious' Mediator to Negotiate Release of Abducted Servicemen

Being a terrorist himself, your best negotiator is Nassrallah.