Army needs written guarantees to ensure success

The words of Prime Minister Tammam Salam and other politicians about supporting the Lebanese Army are all well and good, high-ranking security sources have told The Daily Star, but wishes and statements alone won’t liberate the captured soldiers or defeat the terrorists.

The Army and security forces need to receive written guarantees issued by the Cabinet, the sources said. In the past, the government of former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora gave guarantees to then-Army commander Michel Sleiman that enabled him to use all means to abolish the phenomenon of the extremist Islamist group Fatah al-Islam in the northern Palestinian camp of Nahr al-Bared. This time, guarantees should be issued that would allow the Army to do whatever is necessary to liberate the security personnel captured during the battle for Arsal in early August.

If this is done, it would prevent the obstruction of any operation that the Army starts, and would boost the military’s ability to undertake the task entrusted to it by the Supreme Defense Council: preserving security in all of Lebanon.

The sources expressed fear that a failure to give such assurances might lead to unfortunate developments that would not be in the interest of the Lebanese state and would decrease the chances of the soldiers being released.

In contrast to rumors that the Lebanese Army doesn’t have enough strength to defeat the terrorists in Arsal, the sources said that the facts on the ground indicate the opposite. The latest development that led to a number of terrorists in Arsal being killed was thanks to the Lebanese Army using a high-tech drone to fire a rocket at one of the militants’ bases.

The weather factor will also play a large role in determining events in the next few weeks, according to the sources, a factor which applies to all sides. However, the Army’s decision to close most of the supply passages and prevent aid and other vital items reaching the militants will affect their capability to resist so strongly.

Concerning the issue of the captured, the sources said that kidnappers were still keeping their hostages in Arsal and its perimeter, and were not in the outskirts as some believe.

They also claimed that only one call had been made between the kidnappers’ representatives and the chief negotiator dispatched by Qatar, showing that what has been said about ongoing talks and contacts with the kidnappers over the issue is inaccurate, even if certain statements indicate otherwise.

The sources think the countries Lebanon has so far relied upon to help with this matter – namely Turkey and Qatar – are no longer available to assist, likely due to the fact that they are now participants in the anti-terrorism international alliance being built to crush ISIS.

The sources denied knowing of any plans in the works to release the 21 soldiers and policemen, saying that it all depended on the behavior of ISIS and the Nusra Front.

They should succumb to Lebanon’s demand that they stop killing captives before negotiations can be resumed, the sources said.