Al-Mustaqbal bloc head MP Fouad Saniora assured on Monday that his party holds “identical” views with the Maronite Patriarch regarding Lebanon's role in the ongoing regional turmoil.

"Our views, as usual, were identical to those of Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi regarding the commitment to the Baabda Declaration and disassociating Lebanon from regional and international conflicts and especially from the Syrian crisis” Saniora said after holding talks, along with an al-Mustaqbal delegation, with the Patriarch in Bkirki.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati announced Monday evening that the army will be entrusted with Tripoli's security for six months and that all security agencies in the city will be put under its command.

“During the meeting he held at the presidential palace this afternoon with President Michel Suleiman and Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji, it was decided to task the Lebanese army with taking the necessary measures to preserve security in Tripoli for a period of six months and to place security forces under its command,” said a statement issued by Miqati's office.

The Phalange Party on Monday warned that the situation in the clashes-hit city of Tripoli might soon reach the “point of no return” if left unaddressed, urging security agencies not to be “lenient in implementing the security plan” and to rescue it from the hands of “gunmen and warlords in the two rival neighborhoods.”

In a statement issued after the weekly meeting of its political bureau, the party stressed its solidarity with the city's residents “who are only aspiring to live in a stable and safe environment.”

Residents of the Bekaa town of Qsar Naba forced hundreds of Syrian refugees from an informal campsite on Monday, setting fire to tents after accusing them of raping a mentally-disabled man.

But a doctor who examined the man said there was no evidence he was attacked, and one resident of the village said the alleged rape was a pretext to drive the refugees from the site.

Customs acting chief Shafiq Merhi apologized on Monday to al-Jadeed television over last week's assault against its journalists.

He added in an interview with the television station that he did not order customs agents to attack the crew.

Tensions were high in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh in southern Lebanon after a member of al-Saadi family opened fire against a resident of the camp, reported the National News Agency on Monday.

It said that Palestinian national from al-Saadi family opened fire at Ali Abul Kamal, a member of the Jund al-Sham group.

The army has closed several roads on the northern border with Syria to prevent the passage of cars, the state-run National News Agency reported on Monday.

"Army bulldozers have been working for the past three days to close all roads and passages that lead to Syria near the border towns of Arsal and al-Qaa,” the NNA detailed.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat accused on Monday the leaderships of the northern city of Tripoli of destroying their city, saying that the situation there should no longer continue as it is.

He said in his weekly editorial for the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “It seems that the Tripoli leaderships are determined to destroy their city seeing as none of them have taken the necessary measures to change the status quo.”

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr ordered on Monday the arrest of eight people, including Hatem al-Janzarli, in connection to the clashes in the northern city of Tripoli, reported the National News Agency.

It said that he also requested investigating the identity of some 60 individuals in order to take the necessary legal measures against them.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel called on Monday from Bkirki on the rival parties to hold the Presidential elections on time and for the swift formation of a new cabinet.

“The situation in the country is very dangerous and it can't go on. It's as if the leaders are incapable of confronting the impending challenges,” Gemayel told reporters after talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.