Hizbullah reportedly abducted three high-ranking members from the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front, the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper reported on Monday.

According to sources, Hizbullah abducted the three officials in Syria's al-Qalamun region, where Hizbullah has been taking part in the fighting to aid President Bashar Assad's troops.

The newspaper said that the party could seek to exchange the three jihadists with the hostages, who were abducted by Islamist gunmen in the northeastern border town of Arsal.

The Syrian forces alongside the Shiite group have seized control of al-Qalamun in April.

Islamist gunmen had kidnapped a number of Lebanese soldiers and security forces from Arsal in light of clashes between Islamists and the army in the region.

The battles began on August 2 and ended five days later.

Several soldiers and policemen have been released recently, the latest batch on Saturday evening.

H.K.

G.K.