Beirut: Major-General Abbas Ebrahim, the head of the General Security Directorate (Al Amn Al Aam) confirmed that he would continue his efforts to free soldiers abducted in 2014 by Al Qaida-affiliated Al Nusra Front operatives.
A last-minute snag on Sunday seems to have delayed an impending agreement though local sources alleged that impossible new demands set by the kidnappers prevented the deal from going through.
“We have engaged in arduous negotiations with the kidnappers,” affirmed Ebrahim, though he was angry that fresh conditions were set by Al Nusra “in the last 15 minutes” that, presumably upset the proverbial apple cart. It was unclear what these new conditions were as Lebanese officials apparently agreed to free up to 39 prisoners in exchange for 16 of the 20 known hostages. A convoy carrying food and medicine that entered Arsal as part of the swap returned to Beirut although it was equally unclear whether its cargo was left behind.
The soldiers were abducted in August 2014 at the height of deadly clashes between the army and Al Nusra extremists in and around the northereastern city of Arsal. At the time, 19 troops were killed and 35 taken hostages. Al Nusra later released 7 soldiers and 4 servicemen were executed although it was unclear whether other groups were involved in the murders.
According to various television reports, Qatari officials are heavily involved in the ongoing negotiations, while Beirut demurred when Al Nusra demanded that the aid trucks move to areas controlled by the group along the sensitive Syrian border region. MTV Television reported that “the other condition hindering the swap deal was the failure to secure the evacuation of a number of Al Nusra wounded from Al Zabadani in Syria to Beirut’s airport and then to Turkey.”
General Ebrahim pledged to renew his negotiations and affirmed that “the swap deal has not failed” though he foresaw the need for additional initiatives. Towards that end, Prime Minister Tamam Salam cancelled his scheduled visit to Paris — to represent Lebanon at the COP21 Global Summit — to remain available, and prevent new glitches.
