It was something we rarely see from the more turbulent parts of the Arab world: pure joy. Images of families embracing after long separations have become such a rarity that it was no wonder so many celebrated the reunion of 16 Lebanese hostages with their families on Tuesday.
Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Jabhat Al Nusra, released the members of Lebanon’s security services after holding them for more than a year. The release was part of a swap, brokered by Qatar, that saw Lebanon free 13 prisoners, including the former wife of ISIL leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, Saja Al Dulaimi.
The 16 Lebanese released were among about 30 hostages taken by ISIL and Al Nusra when they briefly captured the town of Arsal in August last year. .
The released Al Nusra members kept trying to cover their faces from the cameras as they joined armed Al Nusra fighters – their faces masked – who celebrated the exchange by waving their group’s black banner. Watching this, a friend and I called them cowards for covering their faces. If they believe in what they are doing, why cover up?
Amid all this, while families embraced, a mother fought back tears as she said: “Please don’t forget about our children. Those taken by Daesh [ISIL].”
She most likely meant the nine hostages still held by ISIL, but in a way she could have been referring to those ISIL recruits who have effectively become hostages of the extremist group they joined.
Families of those who joined ISIL have been shunned by those around them and blamed for the actions of their children and other relatives.
While some recruits did go with the blessing of their families, many did not. They snuck off and then sent messages informing their loved ones that they had joined ISIL. Truly a parent’s worst nightmare.
I have read several articles about how guilty the parents felt – especially the mothers, who can’t understand what happened and what they did wrong. Fathers tend to blame the system or lack of a system, the extremist preachers and social media.
Regardless of who is to blame, the pain and suffering of those families is heart-wrenching as they wait for news, any news of their loved ones. Some have hired mercenaries to try to bring their children back, and some members of ISIL have returned on their own, disillusioned and disturbed. Serious support systems have to be implemented for all those involved.
Two years ago, I met a Syrian refugee mother in Lebanon who said her 21-year-old son had joined ISIL despite her pleading with him to stay with her and his younger siblings. Her husband – his father – was jailed, tortured and killed by the Syrian regime, so the eldest son joined ISIL to “cleanse Syria from its past sins”.
It made no sense to her. She insisted that her son “hated violence” but she said she noticed that something “broke” inside him after all the tragedies he had experienced.
Like thousands of other mothers and fathers of those who joined ISIL, she looks for her child every time a video is released by the group.
“This could be my son,” she said, pointing to a grainy image of a very thin man whose face was concealed by a ski mask with only his eyes showing. Squinting and replaying the video, she looked so desperate.
She had received only one text message from him, more than two-and-a-half years ago: “I reached.” That was it.
Discussions of what’s right and wrong often get muddled when it concerns a loved one. Whatever the case, I wish peace and happiness to all families, those who were lucky enough to reunite, and those who are still waiting.
rghazal@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @arabianmau
