REPORT: Families of Arsal abducted soldiers say will not take escalatory measures for the time being

The families and relatives of the Arsal abducted soldiers met on Thursday with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouq.

Following the meeting, the relatives said that they “heard the same talk about the negotiations and the same reassurances.

 

They also declared that they would not take any escalatory steps at the time being.

 

The families and relatives of the abducted soldiers also called on the Emir of Qatar to rescue their loved ones before the arrival of the winter season.

 

Last week, the relatives of the abducted servicemen staged a sit-in before the Interior Ministry to protest against the cabinet’s negligence in terms of the dossier related to their loved ones.

 

 The protesters held the Lebanese government as well as Major General Abbas Ibrahim and House Speaker Nabih Berri accountable for not exerting enough efforts to find a solution to their case.

The hostage troops and policemen were captured when jihadists from the Nusra Front and the Islamic State militant groups briefly overran the border town of Arsal last August and engaged in fierce battles with the Lebanese army.

Negotiations were conducted, with the help of a mediator in order to reach common terms to release the hostages, but no results have been reached so far.