IS Threatens to Kill Hostages if Lebanon Refuses to Call Hezbollah Back

BEIRUT, December 17 (Sputnik) – Islamic State (IS) insurgents are threatening to execute two captive Lebanese soldiers if the Lebanese government does not comply with their demands to call Hezbollah back from Syria and release IS supporters from prison before Thursday, the MTV Lebanon media station reported.

According to MTV Lebanon, the jihadists announced their threat Tuesday evening.

The IS and Jabhat al-Nusra extremist groups took 30 soldiers and employees from the Lebanese Ministry of Interior hostage while attacking the city of Ersal close to the Syrian border in August. In exchange for the hostages' freedom, the militants demanded that the government release their followers from prison and withdraw the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which supports Syrian President Bashar Assad, from Syria.

"Jabhat al-Nusra is holding thousands of Syrian soldiers hostage whom we have not managed to liberate," Ali Haidar, the Syrian Minister for Reconciliation Affairs, told RIA Novosti Monday.

Lebanese authorities stated that they would not cooperate with the terrorists and asked Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia for help. Beirut hopes that these countries can influence the jihadists.

Hezbollah has been fighting extremists since the eruption of a political crisis in Syria in 2011. Hezbollah members have repeatedly stressed that they are fighting terrorism alongside the Syrian government. The Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nusra are among the extremist groups that Hezbollah is battling.