Al-Nusra Front Invites Families to Visit Captives

The emir of al-Nusra Front in the Syrian Qalamoun region, Abou Malek al-Talli, has reportedly invited the families of the Lebanese hostages to visit their loved ones on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Family member Hussein Youssef told TV and radio stations that al-Talli asked Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri to inform the relatives held captive by al-Nusra Front to head to the northeastern border town of Arsal on Saturday to meet the hostages.

The invitation comes amid reports that the negotiations for the release of the captives, who are believed to be held on Arsal's outkirts, were frozen.

Qatar is mediating the release of the soldiers and policemen taken hostage by al-Nusra Front which reportedly had asked for setting free Islamists held in Roumieh prison in the prisoner exchange.

The Islamic State extremist group has also taken servicemen as hostages but the negotiations with it have reached a standstill over its crippling demands.

The captives were taken by the two groups when they overran Arsal in August last year and engaged in deadly battles with the Lebanese army.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim returned from Doha this week with pledges to revive the prisoner exchange deal after Eid al-Fitr holidays, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported Thursday.

Ibrahim is the official Lebanese negotiator in the case of the troops and policemen.