BEIRUT: A militant commander in Syria who has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group has threatened to “retaliate” against Lebanese Shiites and families of Lebanese soldiers over the arrest of his wife and two children in Lebanon, according to a new militant posting.
The video statement by the militant, Abu Ali Al-Shishani — whose real name is Anas Sharkas, according to Lebanese authorities — also said that mediation efforts for the release of more than 20 Lebanese soldiers held captive since August by IS and Al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria have stopped, until his family is freed.
It was unclear from the statement, released late Thursday, what role Al-Shishani has played so far in the mediation efforts, which are led by Qatar, a traditional Mideast mediator.
Al-Shishani says Shiite women and children, along with families of Lebanese soldiers will be “legitimate targets” for his militants. In the video, Al-Shishani, who is shown seated in front of a black flag of the Islamic State group, flanked by two masked gunmen, says one of his detained children is four and the other is still a baby.
Meanwhile, Jordan's King Abdallah says the threat posed by the Islamic State organization represents a struggle between "good and evil." He said in an interview broadcast Friday that a "pan-regional" approach is needed and nations now arrayed against the radicals must "stand up and say what is right and what is wrong."
In a CBS interview, he repeats comments he made recently at the United Nations, where he said IS represents "a global threat."
The king calls the struggle "generational," saying the conflict over the long term will be "ideological."
Syrian militant threatens Lebanese Shiites
Syrian militant threatens Lebanese Shiites
