Qatari Envoy Meets Servicemen's Captors in Arsal Outskirts as Families Await Talks Outcome
A Qatari mediator held negotiations Thursday with the militants of the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front in the outskirts of the Bekaa border town of Arsal, in a new bid to secure the release of 27 Lebanese troops and policemen held by the two extremist groups.
“The Qatari envoy headed at 3:45 pm to Arsal's outskirts after he was escorted by Lebanese security agents to the center of the town,” state-run National News Agency reported.
Earlier in the day, LBCI TV said the Qatari delegation “was accompanied by a Lebanese General Security team and six trucks carrying aid to the refugee encampments in Arsal.”
“The Qatari delegation made practical steps today in order to receive the demands of the abductors,” the TV network quoted sources informed on the case as saying.
In the evening, MTV said “the Qatari envoy started his meeting with the Islamic State group following talks with al-Nusra.”
“Al-Nusra Front showed leniency in its demands, especially regarding the number of those it wants released” from Lebanese prisons in return for the hostages it is holding, MTV added.
Meanwhile, the families of the hostages held talks with Prime Minister Tammam Salam at the Grand Serail.
They had stepped up their protests in recent days over perceived “procrastination” in the negotiations.
“PM Salam did not give us any guarantees or positive indications,” a spokesman for the families said after the meeting.
“We have decided to suspend our escalation until the return of the Qatari envoy (from Arsal) and we'll go back to to escalation if we don't sense tangible progress,” he threatened.
“The prime minister put us in the picture of the current negotiations and he's awaiting the return of the Qatari envoy from Arsal,” the spokesman said.
The al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front accused on Thursday General Security chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim of obstructing the release of the abducted soldiers and policemen, without further elaborating.
“We have been informed by al-Nusra Front that Ibrahim is hindering the release of our sons,” Hussein Youssef, the father of abducted soldier Mohammed Youssef, told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).
Ibrahim rejected in comments to NBN television carrying out negotiations without conditions with the abductors, rejecting attempts to “blackmail” the state.
“We have been waiting for the demands of the kidnappers, who are insisting to only hand them over to the Qatari negotiator who has been late.”
Youssef vowed to continue escalations to press politicians and ministers with all the available means to seriously negotiate the release of the captive servicemen.
“Escalations will not be limited to burning tires,” Youssef warned.
The father hailed Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, saying: “Al-Nusra Front informed us that he (Abu Faour) is the only one following up the case seriously.”
The families of the captive troops and policemen burned tires on Wednesday evening at the Riad al-Solh Square in downtown Beirut near the Grand Serail over perceived “procrastination” in negotiations to free their loved ones.
Al-Nusra and the Islamic State group have been holding several troops and policemen hostage since August 2, when they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal and engaged in bloody clashes with the army.
The two groups have since executed three troops and threatened to murder more hostages if Lebanese authorities didn't fulfill their demands.
Later on Thursday, the families vowed to “turn downtown Beirut black” if the cabinet failed to meet the demands of the abductors.
“The zero hour for our escalation will start when the Qatari envoy returns from Arsal,” one of the relatives told reporters gathered in Riad al-Solh square as the cabinet convened at the nearby Grand Serail.
Internal Security Forces special panthers unit deployed at the entrance of the Grand Serail as the families threatened to storm into it.
They had requested to meet with Prime Minister Tammam Salam, who postponed the meeting until the cabinet session ends.
H.K./Y.R.
G.K./M.T.
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