MEDIASCOPE: Negotiations with Al-Nursa over Kidnapped LA Soldiers, What’s Next?

Local Editor

Lebanese newspapers rotated around the ongoing ‘secret deal' with al-Nusra terrorist group, which according to sources should not have been disclosed by them. This revelation they made to the whereabouts of the deal implies latent intentions that might be alarming.

According to al-Akhbar newspaper, the developments concerning al-Nusra does not only include territorial advances, but also the enhancement of its military capabilities as the terrorist movement seized weapons and ammunitions from the US-supported Hazm movement quarters.

According to the source, the Nusra seized 30 armored vehicles, in addition to heavy arms and more than 1500 Grad missiles that were in the depots of the so-called Syrian opposition.

Al-Nusra sources told al-Akhbar that the movement has indeed captured qualitative arms, but did not give any further details on that.

On this note, a Syrian military source told al-Akhbar correspondent that ‘the military leaderships in the region work on organizing defense lines to prevent the smuggling of the so-called IS armed gangs to areas controlled by the army.
As for the issue of the abductees, sources following on the case told As-Safir newspaper that for the first time since 3 months, al-Nusra and Daesh ["ISIL"] send a clear official letter to the concerned Lebanese authorities, which according to the source, paves the way for talks in the long path of solving this case.

Al-Nusra had earlier asked the Qatari mediator to release 10 of the Lebanese held in prison for each abductee, also the release of another 7 prisoners from Lebanese prisons and 30 female prisoners from the Syrian prisons for each abductee, or 5 prisoners and 50 female prisoners in return for each abductee.

Yet, sources said the alarming issue was that al-Nusra circulated and published its demands, which were to be undisclosed. Also, the source said al-Nusra movement shows great contradiction to the serious initiative of the Qatari mediator.
The source explains this clear declaration of demands signals an ambush set for Lebanon and Syria at once, exposing the Lebanese authorities to an awkward situation with the families of the abducted and by that putting direct pressure on the government.

Sources told as-Safir that if the Lebanese prisoners will be released from Roumieh prison, that would mean the release of major criminals who were involved in the explosions that took place after July 2013.

Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by website team