Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq stressed that the state will not carry out negotiations with the Islamist kidnappers of servicemen abducted from the northeastern border town of Arsal until it receives a written pledge that they will not be harmed, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday.
He told the daily: “We will not hold negotiations until they issue a clear statement that they will halt killing the servicemen.”
“I have relayed this position to the Muslim Scholars Committee, headed by Sheikh Salem al-Rafehi, and we are waiting for their clear response,” he added.
“We will see what will happen once the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front issue the required statement,” he stated.