Efforts to end kidnappings between Arsal residents and Jaafar clan kick off

Mediation efforts kicked off on Friday in an attempt to put an end to the wave of kidnappings prevailing between Arsal residents and the Jaafar clan, after Arsal residents released on Thursday one member from the Zaayter clan and another from the Nassereddine clan, while they kept two members from the Jaafar clan in their custody.               

In this context, Arsal’s deputy Mayor told LBCI that “all the residents are insisting on restoring calm to the region,” noting that foreign powers are seeking to hinder mediation and create strife.           

In this context, sources told LBCI that Hamza Abdel Karim al-Hjairi, who was abducted on Thursday on the Beirut airport road, was released.               

Arsal residents abducted four members from the Jaafar clan and a member of the al-Rachiini family who were working in the vicinity of Arsal, according to the state-run National News Agency.               

The agency added that the Jaafar clan kidnapped Arsal resident Bilal Ezzedine on the Arsal’s al-Labweh road, as well as the driver Hussein Audeh road, in retaliation.     

The rest of the hostages taken by Arsal residents were identified as, Ali Karami Jaafar, Hasan Nazir Jaafar, Mohammed Ali Jaafar and Mohsen Jaafar.                 

A wave of tit-for-tat kidnapping began on Sunday March 24, when Hussein Kamel al-Jaafar was kidnapped by unidentified assailants and reportedly taken into Syria.                 

In retaliation, the al-Jaafar clan of Baalbeck kidnapped 5 from Arsal.                 

On Tuesday [April 2] the Lebanese armed forces deployed in the Sharawneh district of Baalbeck where the Jaafar clan resides in search of the captives.                       

The kidnappers of Hussein Kamel Jaafar, who is reportedly being held in Syria’s Yabroud village, have asked for a $1 million USD ransom, the National News Agency reported last Thursday.