A fragile peace continued to hold in the northern Bekaa Valley Wednesday, but relations between a notorious Shiite clan and their Sunni neighbors appeared severely strained as the hostage standoff between them entered its fourth day.
Community leaders in Arsal called a meeting during which they affirmed the “historic ties” between their town and the Jaafar family, but lashed out at the clan for what they called shirking their responsibility to uphold civil peace.
The Jaafars have kidnapped 10 Arsal residents since Sunday in retaliation for the abduction of Hussein Kamel Jaafar, later releasing four and then one more as a gesture of goodwill. Jaafar was taken late Saturday night by gunmen rumored to be linked to the armed Syrian opposition. Arsal reportedly enjoys close relations with militant groups in Syria, and an important figure in the Jaafar family alluded to the “presence” of people from Arsal during the kidnapping.
In Yarzeh, Army chief Maj. Gen. Jean Kahwagi chaired a meeting of top military intelligence and security officials to discuss the developments. A statement issued after the meeting said the kidnappings appeared to be connected to disputes over smuggling.
In the Bekaa Valley, ongoing mediation between local religious, tribal, political and security figures appeared to have achieved limited success, with no new related kidnappings reported. Another abduction, in the nearby town of Douris, appeared to be unconnected to the Arsal-Jaafar standoff.
During the meeting, which took place at the Arsal municipality, Mayor Ali Hujeiri reiterated denials about any connection between his town and Jaafar’s kidnapping. He claimed the crime was organized by a man from the Abu Daboussi family, from the nearby Syrian town of Maara, and that the motives were financial rather than political.
“If any link between a son of our village and the kidnapping is proven, we will turn him over to the authorities ourselves,” Hujeiri said.
“If a Lebanese citizen is kidnapped anywhere in the country, is the reaction to attack ambulances that transport wounded and open fire on them and abduct the driver?” he said, referring to the kidnapping Sunday of Abdel-Salam Hujeiri, an ambulance driver for the Islamic Medical Association. Hujeiri was among those released, while Hussein Hassan Rayed, Saud Mohammad Rayed, Mohammad Rayed, Mohammad Mahmoud Hujeiri and Nimr Fliti are still being held by the Jaafar family.
The mayor added that some of the kidnappings had been carried out by individuals dressed in Army uniforms.
The participants in the meeting released a statement affirming their commitment to maintaining the peace, calling on the Jaafar family to release their hostages and the Lebanese Army to protect the right of citizens to move freely about the country.
The statement also expressed the people of Arsal’s willingness to do what they can to help free Jaafar. Hujeiri told reporters earlier this week that a local delegation was preparing to go into Maara, where Jaafar is reportedly being held, to negotiate his release.
The delegation has reportedly made two visits to Maara, but has so far failed to discover the fate of Jaafar, sources told The Daily Star. Sheikh Bakr Rifai, the imam of Baalbek-Hermel, continued his efforts to contain the rising tensions, which have been exacerbated due to the crisis in Syria.
The Jaafar clan held its own meeting in the town of Sahlat al-Maa in Hermel, placing responsibility for Jaafar’s release and return with the leaders of Arsal, “as [he] was kidnapped from their area and they know his fate.” – Additional reporting by Meris Lutz
