Qahwaji: Rights of Army Martyrs, Abductees Won't be Abandoned

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji emphasized that the army is keen on its martyrs' and abductees' rights, and assured that most of the perpetrators who were found to be involved in the abduction and manslaughter of servicemen, were either killed or arrested, Ad Diyar daily reported on Monday.

“The army does not neglect the rights of its martyrs or prisoners, even if it took us some time to get that right,” said Qahwaji in an interview to the daily.

“Most of those found involved in the killing and kidnapping of the servicemen, over different stages in the area of Arsal, were either killed or arrested respectively,” he added.

Recently, Qahwaji said he is determined to find a solution for the thorny file of servicemen who were abducted by the Islamic State extremist group in 2014.

The IS 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 with 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 2015 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.

Two mediators are said to negotiate their release.

Qahwaji added pointing out that the army has become a genuine institution that works as a harmonious system, which contributed to the activation of its performance.

On the outspread of terrorism, Qahwaji likened it to the “cancer” disease. He said it must be uprooted and controlled from expanding any further.