Grand Mufti of the Republic Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan urged the rival political leaders attending the national dialogue sessions not to leave their meetings before they elect a new president.

“Do not leave your dialogue sessions unless you consensually agree on electing a new head of state,” Daryan said addressing the interlocutors of the national dialogue during a speech marking the New Islamic Year.

Commando Regiment chief Brig. Gen. Chamel Roukoz is set to leave his headquarters in Roumieh on Tuesday for his successor Maroun al-Qobayati a day early as his term ends on October 15, following an official holiday.

The official handover ceremony between Roukoz and Qobayati will not be held this year, and Roukoz is scheduled to visit the ministry of defense where he will hold a meeting with Army Commander Jean Qahwaji and several other officers.

Lebanese officials have ruled out a rise in the number of Syrian refugees after Moscow entered Syria's multi-faceted civil war last month.

The officials, who were not identified, told As Safir daily published on Tuesday that it was highly unlikely for more Syrians to seek safety in Lebanon over the air strikes carried out by Russia to help the Syrian regime.

The Lebanese army has gone on alert along the border with Syria and inside Lebanese territories after Russian jets intensified their airstrikes in central Syria and Hizbullah got more involved in the country's war.

A security source told As Safir daily published on Tuesday that terrorist groups taking refuge in the border area are making suspicious moves.

Head of the Public Relations division of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) Lt. Col. Joseph Msallam said on Saturday that freedom of expression is a righteous demand only if it is practiced under the law.

“We believe in freedom of expression which is a constitutional right, but it should be expressed under the law, which means the protests should not be violent” said Msallam in a press conference he held against the backdrop of Thursday's downtown demonstrations that turned violent and stretchered till a late hour.

Progressive Socialist party chief Walid Jumblat stated on Saturday that although he consents the requests of the civil society activists, but it is unacceptable to drag the country to chaos.

“We have expressed our support for the demands and slogans raised by the civil society activists. We even condemned ourselves. But that does not mean that we will accept to stand idle and watch the country being dragged to chaos and systematic destruction of its economy, touristic and commercial institutions,” said Jumblat to the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said on Friday that there are some parties trying to exploit the civil society protests for interests that do not serve the Lebanese, stressing that the stability and security of the country are a "red line."

“It is clear that there are some parties trying to deviate the civil society from their goals, and are trying to take advantage of their moves for interests that do not serve the Lebanese nor the goals that triggered the civil mobilizations,” media reports quoted Salam.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim held a meeting on Friday with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in light of the latest “negligence” accusations fired at Ibrahim by families of the Arsal abducted servicemen.

The relatives of the servicemen held a sit-in and blocked the road on Friday near the Interior Ministry demanding the resumption of efforts to free their sons which they said have been stalled lately, accusing Ibrahim and Speaker Nabih Berri of “negligence.”

The relatives of the kidnapped servicemen held a sit-in on Friday in front of the Interior Ministry and blocked the road near the Central Bank in the Beirut area of Hamra, demanding the release of their sons after more than 14 months of captivity.

The families also prevented the security forces from reopening the Banks Street in downtown Beirut after it was blocked during the civil society protests on Thursday.

The Lebanese army shot a Syrian national in the leg on Friday after he attempted to escape during an army raid on the Bekaa border area of Masharii al-Qaa, the state-run National News Agency said.

The Lebanese army carried out raids on the Syrian encampments in the area, NNA said on Friday.