Syria Refuses to Repeat Aazaz Experience, Not Willing to Respond to Demands of Terrorists

A Syrian official said that his country is not enthusiastic to respond to the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front demands to guarantee the release of the abducted Lebanese soldiers and policemen.

“We cannot find any justification to repeat the Aazaz pilgrims experience after Beirut failed to thank Damascus on its efforts to help end the kidnapping ordeal,” a Syrian minister, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told An Nahar newspaper on Monday.

He pointed out that the Syrian government has so far not received “any official request by the Lebanese state” regarding the matter.

In October last year, nine Lebanese held hostage in Syria for over 16 months returned to Lebanon after the Syrian regime agreed to release dozens of Syrian women detained in Syrian prisons.

The minister said that his country will “discuss its response when it officially receives the list of prisoners” that the two “terrorist” groups are demanding their release.

However, he noted that “experiences proved that terrorists enlist fictional names or previously released prisoners.”

Al-Nusra and the IS group have been holding several troops and policemen hostage since August 2, when they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal and engaged in bloody clashes with the army.

The two groups have since executed three troops and threatened to murder more hostages if Lebanese authorities didn't fulfill their demands.

The Lebanese government has not given the greenlight for a swap deal with al-Nusra Front after a Qatari negotiator handed over to Lebanese officials the list of names of inmates it wants released in exchange for the captive servicemen.

The Nusra said that the 3-month hostage crisis would end if 10 inmates held at Lebanese prisons would be freed for each hostage or seven Lebanese inmates and 30 female prisoners held in Syria would be released for each abducted soldier and policeman or if five Lebanese and 50 women inmates would be freed.

The group added that the swap with the prisoners held at Syrian prisons should take place in Turkey or Qatar, while the exchange with the Lebanese authorities should take place on the outskirts of Arsal.

The cabinet had previously totally rejected any swap deal with the jihadists.

There are hundreds of Islamist inmates in Roumieh prison awaiting their trials.

They were reportedly involved in terrorist acts, including planning suicide attacks, belonging to terrorist groups and other charges.

H.K.

G.K.