PM Salam received on Saturday the relatives of the security personnel, who were taken hostage by terrorist gunmen in the Bekaa town of Arsal and called on them to be patient and to become wary of attempts to exploit their tragedy

Prime Minister Tammam Salam received on Saturday the relatives of the security personnel, who were taken hostage by terrorist gunmen in the Bekaa town of Arsal and called on them to be patient and to become wary of attempts to exploit their “tragedy.”

The meeting was later joined by Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq and General Security Chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.

Ibrahim has reportedly expressed readiness to mediate for the release of soldiers and security forces members taken captive by "jihadists" in Arsal.

PM Salam considered that the clashes in the northeastern town of Arsal threatened the whole nation as it came amid a delicate situation in Lebanon, naharnet reported.

“The developments in Arsal posed a threat on all the nation as it came amid an unstable local situation that the political powers so far failed to resolve,” Salam said.

The premier stressed, "The state will not neglect the fate of its nationals and will not give up on them."

The PM said that “there were fears that the situation in Arsal would escalate due to the large number of Syrians living there.”

Around 20 Lebanese army soldiers and policemen were kidnapped by the terrorist groups after it raided the town of Arsal.

As the Lebanese army encountered these groups which include ISIL, Nusra and other takfiri movements, they took the Lebanese hostages and left to teh barrens of Syria's al-Qalamoun.

Prime Minister, Tammam Salam, heaped praises on the resilience demonstrated by the people of Arsal in the face of the latest attack endured by their town, voicing solidarity with them and the government's keenness to "provide all what is needed for Arsal and its people to alleviate their grievances."