Qatar: Mediating

Qatar has been involved in securing the release of 45-year-old US journalist Peter Theo Curtis, who was being held by Jabhat Al-Nusra, which captured him in Syria. His release after two years came just days after the gruesome murder of US journalist James Foley, who was also captured in Syria in 2012 and ended up in the hands of the Islamic State extremist group (see View). Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar has also claimed Qatar is involved in negotiations with Jabhat Al-Nusra to secure the release of Lebanese soldiers captured during fighting in the Lebanese town of Ersal.