HERMEL, Lebanon: Two men from the Masri family were detained Monday, after the family was accused of kidnapping two Arsali residents Sunday to use a bargaining chip against ISIS, who is holding their relative captive.
Mohammad and Hussein al-Masri were detained by the Lebanese Army as suspects in kidnapping of Hussein al-Fliti and Abdullah al-Breidy.
Initial media reports said that the two Masris were released at noon, but Al-Jadeed TV reported that the family denied the news, saying the two are still detained, and calling on the Army to release them immediately.
Kidnapped on Sunday, Fliti and Breidy are being held at the residence of a Masri family member in Hourtaala, east Lebanon, a security source told The Daily Star.
The kidnapper is demanding the release of Ali Zayd al-Masri, who is among the captured soldiers being held by ISIS. The family warned that if their relative was harmed or killed, Breidy and Fliti would face the same fate.
Fliti was kidnapped as he returned with his Dabke dance troupe, the Temples of Baalbek, on the Badnayel road. He was taken along with the head of the group, Omar Hamade and Hamade’s father and son. The Hamades were all released around 1 a.m. while Fliti was taken to an unknown location.
A security source told The Daily Star that the release of the others, belonging to the Hamade family, was due to political pressure.
The kidnapping incident came one day after ISIS beheaded the captive soldier Abbas Medlej, who, along with 28 others, was kidnapped during the Arsal clashes last month.
The slaughter of Medlej prompted Lebanese officials to call for calm and civil unity, fearing that the killing could instigate sectarian strife among Lebanese.
Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk told As-Safir in an article published Monday that his communication with top Hezbollah officials had “contributed to controlling tensions in streets and facilitated self-restraint.”
Although Medlej’s family, backed by Hezbollah, called for avoiding any violent reactions and standing behind the state and its forces, the kidnapping of the two Arsalis was based on fear over Masri receiving the same fate as Medlej.
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