Report: Qatar Could Renew Mediation on Arsal Hostages

Qatar will likely renew its mediation with al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front on the case of Lebanese soldiers and policemen taken captive by jihadists last year, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Thursday.

Qatar said in December that it suspended its negotiations with the militants after its envoy failed to resolve the crisis.

Thursday's report said Doha could appoint a new mediator.

The report came a day after Prime Minister Tammam Salam chaired a meeting of the so-called crisis cell tasked with resolving the case of the hostages.

According to the daily, the conferees discussed during the one-hour meeting the latest developments on the case.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who is the only official Lebanese mediator, briefed the members of the cell on the results of his latest visit to Qatar, said the report.

The servicemen were kidnapped by al-Nusra Front and Islamic State group fighters when they overran the northeastern border town of Arsal in August and engaged in bloody gunbattles with the Lebanese army.

The militants have executed four of the captives. Among their demands are the release of Islamists from Roumieh prison.

On Wednesday, the families of two of the captives visited their sons on the northeastern border.

They were accompanied by Arsal's deputy municipal chief Ahmed Fliti who was tasked by Health Minister Wael Abou Faour to mediate in the servicemen's case in December.

Fliti visited Salam at the head of a delegation from Arsal on Wednesday.

But he refused to comment to al-Joumhouria on the result of their talks.

He only said that he gave all the information he got and that he would not make more revelations so that the is not held responsible for any new development.

G.K.

H.K.