Head of the Lebanese Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (LIFE) Nabil Al-Halabi expressed his hope on Friday that news pertaining to the alleged beheading of a Lebanese Armed Forces soldier is Arsal may be false, stressing that photos and videos circulating on social media networks are not yet verified.
Al-Halabi told LBCI’s Nharkom Said that should news of any wrong doing against any of the kidnapped be leaked then that will halt all efforts aimed at releasing the others.
He also stressed that the Lebanese cabinet did not reach a unified stance regarding negotiations carried out by the Association of Muslim Scholars in a bid to release the soldiers.
Sources told LBCI that the Lebanese Armed Forces secured the release of 4 soldiers reported missing in Arsal, noting that the whereabouts of a fifth soldier remained unknown.
At least 30 Internal Security Forces members and Lebanese Armed Forces soldiers remain missing, presumably kidnapped by the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front militants, in the wake of deadly clashes that erupted in the northeastern border town of Arsal on August 01.