Families of Servicemen Meet Franjieh: No Decision to Escalate Yet

The relatives of the captive soldiers and policemen vowed to restrain themselves further on Monday as they pledged not to escalate their endeavors later in the day.

“We are anticipating some positive results by the cabinet,” the families said after talks with Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh at his residence in Zgharta's Bnashii.

The relatives reiterated that they will not discuss the case's developments in public after Prime Minister Tammam Salam continuously called for more secrecy.

“We hope that our gift this holiday would be the return of our children,” they told reporters.

The families of the servicemen held hostage by jihadist groups, the Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), decided last week to reopen the vital Riad al-Solh road in central Beirut as a “holiday gift” for the Lebanese.

The hostage-takers have warned the Lebanese authorities that they would kill more captives if they did not meet their demands. They have so far executed four of them.

Among their demands is the release of Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.

Sixteen policemen and soldiers are still being held by al-Nusra, and nine by IS.

H.K.

G.K.