Director General of General Security Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim said on Monday that the return of the members of the Islamic State in air-conditioned vehicles is plausible because “Lebanon is a country that doesn’t take revenge.”
Maj. Gen. Ibrahim also pointed in an interview with “Radio Lebanon” that their main goal was to liberate the mountainous towns of Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa and to reveal the fate of the abducted soldiers, which is what happened; insisting on the fact that Lebanon is subject to international and humanitarian law as well as to international agreements.
He also stated that they possess several cards for negotiating in any case.
The Syrian army and Hezbollah prepared on Monday to transport Islamic State fighters from their enclave on the border with Lebanon to eastern Syria after a week-long offensive against the jihadist group.
It will end any militant presence on the border, an important goal for Lebanon and Hezbollah, and is the first time Islamic State has publicly agreed to evacuate territory under force.
Sunday, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim declared that work is underway to retrieve remains believed to belong to the abducted soldiers, adding that the remains of 6 people have been retrieved so far.
Ibrahim, who met with the families of the abducted soldiers in Riad al-Solh square did not affirm that these remains belong to the soldiers, noting that the confirmation of the identities require DNA tests.
LBCI/ REUTERS