Tit-for-Tat Abductions Continue between Jaafar Clan, Arsal Residents

Tit-for-tat kidnappings continued on Tuesday in the Bekaa region between the Jaafar clan and the residents of the town of Arsal.

A minibus driver identified as Issam Mohammed Jaafar was abducted in al-Zaytoun area in northern Bekaa, while a pickup truck belonging to Khaled Ezzedine was found empty in the outskirts of the town of Iaat and he is believed to have been kidnapped, state-run National News Agency reported.

Army troops towed the pickup truck to an army base in the area, NNA said.

Meanwhile, an army airborne unit encircled the Baalbek neighborhood of Sharawneh and cordoned off all its exits, especially al-Basatin area, NNA added.

Later on Tuesday, the agency said the minibus driver Issam Jaafar was found after being nabbed in al-Zaytoun area, without elaborating.

Two other people were kidnapped on the Qobaiyat-Bekaa road.

“The Jaafar clan has released an abductee from the Yassine family who hails from the Bekaa town of Zboud, as it kept Arsal resident Walid Zaarour in its custody,” NNA reported later.

Several men, who hail from Arsal, were abducted over the weekend in retaliation for the kidnapping of Hussein Jaafar, who hails from the town of al-Bustan in Hermel, by unidentified gunmen.

Media reports said that Jaafar was taken to Syria.

The Jaafar clan had urged the security forces to assume their duties in the case and condemned the abduction.