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Minister Machnouq says progress made in the case of Arsal abducted soldiers

03-01-2015 | 08:15

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Minister Machnouq says progress made in the case of Arsal abducted soldiers

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Minister of Interior Nohad Machnouq voiced on Saturday optimism about the case of the Arsal abducted troops held by Islamist militants, saying there was progress in the case.

Machnouq added that negotiations over their release were ongoing.

“There is progress in this case, but I will not announce it today, awaiting the final word on it,” Machnouk said.

Machnouq’s comments were made after meeting with Maronite Bishop Boulos Matar at the archdiocese in Ashrafieh.

He voiced hopes that the case could be resolved “with the start of this new year.”

“It is obvious now that the ongoing negotiations have advanced, they will not fall back and the negotiations are no longer frozen,” he concluded by saying.

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 in August and engaged in fierce battles with the Lebanese army.

Four captives have so far been executed, and the jihadists have threatened to kill the remaining hostages unless there is a deal to free Islamist prisoners in Lebanon.

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