A source from the March 8 coalition stressed that had Hezbollah been officially tasked with negotiations to release abducted servicemen, the party would have been successful in doing so.

The source also told As-Safir that the release of Hezbollah’s Imad Ayad did not undermine the Lebanese state’s authority as the March 14 forces said in a statement, for multiple reasons such as the abduction of Ayad and his exchange for two detainees were carried out on Syrian territories, particularly in Al-Qalamoun’s Asal al-Ward.

“Hezbollah’s experience must be a motive for the state to arrest members of ISIS, Nura Front, and Free Syrian Army and negotiate an exchange with the servicemen’s abductors,” the source added.