The trial of former Information Minister Michel Samaha has been postponed to December, reported the National News Agency Thursday.

It explained that the postponement is aimed at granting time to summon Syrian security chief General Ali Mamlouk to the trial.

The Lebanese army made on Thursday a heavy deployment in the areas of al-Labweh and Arsal in the Northeast after residents of the two towns exchanged gunfire.

The deployment came amid high tension caused by sectarian splits in the country, which were exacerbated by the war in Syria.

Caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour hailed Germany's stance to host more than 5,000 Syrian refugees who escaped the bloodshed to Lebanon, describing the step as a “breakthrough” in addressing the problematic issue.

“Lebanon achieved a breakthrough in addressing the issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon through the approval of Germany to host 5,000 refugees who came to Lebanon over three months ago. They have been registered with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees,” Abu Faour told An Nahar daily published Thursday.

A March 14 alliance delegation plans to visit the eastern city of Zahle on Monday for talks with officials in the Bekaa valley after reports that major clans in the areas of Hermel and Arsal have been arming heavily.

The delegation's visit to Zahle will include talks with lawmakers and major officials in the Bekaa to prevent strife and preserve coexistence, An Nahar daily said.

Premier-designate Tammam Salam warned of a vacuum in the executive authority, saying the new cabinet should be formed swiftly despite the lack of intention by the political parties to cooperate with him in his mission.

In remarks to several local dailies, Salam said he will speed up the consultations with the different sides after the law on the extension of parliament’s mandate becomes valid at midnight Thursday.

President Michel Suleiman said Thursday that Hizbullah made a mistake in getting involved in Syria's war, adding the party should bring back its fighters to Lebanon to avoid further security incidents in the country.

“I warned them amicably about this issue. I wasn't disloyal or oblivious,” Suleiman told As Safir newspaper.

A videotape for a group claiming the killing of the four Lebanese men who died in Baalbeck's Wadi Rafeq region on Sunday was leaked to media outlets on Wednesday.

The group, Brigade of Jihadist Fighters on the Syrian-Lebanese Border, announced in their message that they are behind Sunday's incident.

The Military Court on Wednesday sentenced retired army Brigadier General Adib al-Alam to 15 years hard labor on charges of collaboration with the Israeli enemy.

His wife Hayat Saloumi was sentenced to four years hard labor.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Wednesday denied media reports circulated by a number of websites about “the expulsion of 25 Lebanese citizens from the State of Qatar to Lebanon.”

The reports claimed that the Lebanese expats would arrive in Beirut on Wednesday evening after Qatari authorities refused to renew their residency permits.

Imam of Sidon's Bilal bin Rabah Mosque Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir accused on Wednesday the army of “defending” alleged apartments owned by Hizbullah gunmen in the southern city.

He demanded during a press conference that these apartments be vacated before Monday, saying: “The military option is one of several available to us should our demand fail to be met.”