BEIRUT: Syrian rebels holding nine Lebanese hostages for more than a year voiced dissatisfaction Sunday over a deal struck with the Lebanese authorities to release the captives, dampening hopes the kidnapped Shiites will be released soon.
The deal consisted of releasing the hostages in two batches in exchange for women prisoners held by the Syrian regime.
The kidnappers, who identify themselves as the Azaz Northern Storm Brigade, said in a statement the Syrian regime did not fulfill their end of the bargain, and they will now only negotiate with an “international mediation committee supervising the release of the hostages.”
The statement said that such a committee would consist of officials from Qatar, Turkey and members of the Muslim Scholars Committee.
According to the kidnappers, no female prisoners were released by the Syrian regime as had been agreed.
“We have handed in a list of 370 female detainees, but the Assad regime said it is only holding 127 women and we agreed on that. However, Hezbollah and Iran started procrastinating by sending fighters to Aleppo and sending people from their side to negotiate with us over the release of the hostages,” the statement said.
The kidnappers added that all offers from Hezbollah and Iran negotiators did not mention the release of female detainees, despite reports in the media.
“If Hezbollah and Iran want to see two of the hostages released before the Eid, [the Syrian regime] has to release the female detainees quickly,” the statement said.
The nine pilgrims were among the 11 Lebanese kidnapped by the Syrian opposition in May 2012 in the Azaz district of Aleppo.
Two of the hostages were released last year.
Last month, media reports said that dozens of women held by Syrian authorities were freed, a move that came after Syrian rebels offered to swap some of the captives for a number of female detainees held by Damascus.
General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim has been handling the case and had paid several visits to Syria and Turkey in an effort to help release the hostages.

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05/08/2013
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