The Muslim Scholars Committee on Thursday called for a “transparent probe” into alleged abuse of Syrian refugees at encampments in the Bekaa border town of Arsal, saying Friday will be a “No to Slaughtering Arsal” day.

“We call for a transparent and impartial investigation into the abuse of innocents and torching of encampments in Arsal,” the MSC said in a statement issued after an “emergency meeting.”

An Islamic-Christian summit held Thursday at Dar al-Fatwa called on Lebanese parties to stop relying on foreign influence to empower themselves domestically, as it rejected the proliferation of arms in the country under the excuse of self-defense against jihadist groups.

The summit also stressed the importance of dialogue for preserving pluralism and addressing disputes.

A wanted man was killed on Thursday in a shootout with the Lebanese army in the southern city of Tyre, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said a military patrol was chasing a car with five passengers when they exchanged fire with the troops in the area of al-Bass.

The army intelligence referred to the judiciary on Thursday a Lebanese man who was arrested over the weekend in the eastern Bekaa Valley for his suspected involvement in an attack on the army.

The military said in a communique that it referred Hussein Abed Ali Jaafar to the competent judiciary five days after his arrest during a raid on his residence in Dar al-Wasaa.

An arrest warrant was issued on Thursday against a detained Syrian on charges of belonging to an armed terrorist group, reported the National News Agency.

It said that Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan issued the warrant against Amer Hamdoun before referring him to the permanent military court for trial.

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji said on Thursday that the military was keen on the safety of the residents of the northeastern border town of Arsal, and denied that troops had laid a siege on them.

The state-run National News Agency said Qahwaji visited Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, who was elected last month, to explain to him “how the army was resolving the crisis in Arsal and the North.”

The Lebanese army arrested on Thursday suspected terrorists during raids it carried out on Syrian refugee encampments and residences in the northeastern border town of Arsal and the northern city of Tripoli.

One assailant was killed and several others were injured when the army opened fire on them in Arsal for setting fire to tents in refugee encampments, said the army.

Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri chaired on Wednesday a meeting of various March 14 alliance officials to address the latest local and regional affairs, reported the daily An Nahar on Thursday.

The gatherers discussed the possibility of holding legislative sessions to tackle pending issues knowing that the movement had opposed such meetings in light of the ongoing presidential vacuum.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq traveled to France on Wednesday where he is scheduled to hold talks with head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

It said that the meeting will discuss the latest developments linked to the case of soldiers and policemen abducted by Islamists, who overran the northeastern town of Arsal in August.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem has called for cooperation between Lebanon and Syria to confront the terrorist threat posed by the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front militants.

As Safir daily on Thursday quoted al-Muallem as saying that Lebanon should not adopt a disassociation policy regarding terrorism.