Report: New Arsal Captives Mediator in Raqqa for Negotiations With Captors

A mediator to negotiate the release of Lebanese servicemen abducted by the Islamic State group has arrived in the city of Raqqa, IS's stronghold in Syria, after coordination with the General Directorate of General Security to kick start efforts in that direction, al-Akhbar daily reported Tuesday.

The daily said, Turkish authorities have facilitated the transfer of the mediator from Turkey to Syria in an effort to negotiate the release of the troops who have been in captivity since August 2014.

Al-Akhbar added, the mediator has contacted the General Security submitting evidence on his earnestness to negotiate with the leadership of the IS.

Early in January, relatives of the kidnapped met with President Michel Aoun in the presence of General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who said two new mediators will be working on the file.

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.