The Lebanese army arrested forty Syrian suspects on Wednesday in raids it staged on refugee encampments in the Bekaa town of Hermel, the National News Agency reported.

Army troops and intelligence units carried out a wide-scale raid that began at 6:00 am and that included the displaced encampments in the region of Hermel in al-Tall, Hosh al-Sayyed Ali and al-Shawagir, NNA added.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji emphasized that the army exerts relentless efforts to fight back terrorism as he emphasized that he does not interfere in the decisions of the authorities as for his term extension, As Safir daily reported on Wednesday.

“The army is locked in a close race with terrorism which seeks to target its arena,” Qahwaji told the daily in an interview.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Tuesday reiterated his belief that a president will be elected before the end of the year.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil stressed Tuesday that the FPM insists on the appointment of a new army chief and called for respecting sectarian balances in the presidential vote.

The United States has delivered $50 million worth of military assistance to the Lebanese army to help it battle against jihadist extremists near the border with Syria.

The thorny telecoms file will not be addressed during Thursday's cabinet meeting because Premier Tammam Salam has asked Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb to complete the file and return it back to the cabinet in a month for discussions, ministerial sources told al-Liwaa daily.

The sources assured that the file has not been overlooked as alleged by some and added that Harb, who is currently outside the country, will present on time an integrated report as requested.

Some promising developments have emerged lately in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh after several fugitives, who sought refuge in the camp, turned themselves in to the army intelligence the recent was Mohammed Taha, son of Tawfiq Taha the commander of Abdullah Azzam Brigades and another fugitive of the Darwish family, al-Mustaqbal daily reported on Tuesday.

Palestinian sources following up closely on the issue, assured that more fugitives will turn themselves in and that the army checkpoints that were erected at the entrances to the camp saw nine fugitives surrender in less than two weeks.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea could be mulling the possibility of nominating a new candidate for the presidency other than founder of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun, although a senior source at the party assured otherwise, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

The daily related to Geagea's interview to the Saudi al-Riyadh newspaper where he pointed out and said: “We are looking for a solution to the current crisis, not that because we support Aoun, but because we want to push forward the Lebanese institutions.”

Saudi Arabia is inclined to lower the level of its diplomatic representation in Lebanon due to security fears related to the expected “critical” situation in the region in the next three months, a media report said on Monday.

“Informed sources have described the current situation as critical and dangerous, revealing that we are on the verge of three pivotal months, especially regarding the regional crises,” MTV reported.

The army on Monday referred four detainees from the extremist Islamic State group to the relevant judicial authorities.