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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Report: Tough Conditions on Swap of Islamists for Lebanese Soldiers, Policemen |
| 2014-08-21 |
| [AnNahar] Jihadists, who are holding Lebanese army troops and coppers captive, have reportedly announced conditions for their release despite the denial of Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq and mediators. Al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front members have said they would release one soldier or security forces member held captive earlier this month in return for two Islamists tossed in the calaboose Book 'im, Mahmoud! in Leb, al-Akhbar daily said Wednesday. But the newspaper stressed that Islamic State group's fighters have put tougher conditions, saying they would release only one of the captives in return for 10 Islamists. It also said that Qatar was negotiating with al-Nusra Front. The jihadists overran the northeastern border town of Arsal on August 2 and engaged in battles with the Lebanese army that left scores dead and maimed. The jihadists withdrew to Syrian territories a few days later after a ceasefire was brokered by Moslem scholars. However, man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them... they took with them captives from the army and security forces. Some of them have been released in stages. Al-Mashnouq told An Nahar that he and Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi were following up the case of the rest of the captives, whose numbers are still unclear. He denied, however, that the snuffies had announced their conditions for the release of the soldiers and coppers. "It is still early to discuss about the final results," al-Mashnouq told An Nahar, stressing that their case was being resolved with "secrecy" and "calm." "Any other method would complicate the issue," he said. The front man of the Moslem Scholars Committee, Sheikh Adnan Amama, also denied in remarks to As Safir daily that the jihadists had asked for the release of specific persons from Roumieh prison. "We are still in the stage of discussing the Lebanese government's approval to negotiate and exchange prisoners," said Amama. He added that the committee has received assurances that the captives were being well treated. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |