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.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, whose country has joined the U.S.-led air strikes against Islamic State group militants in Syria, said Riyadh was ready to help Lebanon if it asked for assistance in its battle against jihadists.

In remarks carried by An Nahar newspaper on Thursday, al-Faisal said: “We have helped Lebanon to buy weapons through a $1 billion donation.”

Three gunmen kidnapped on Wednesday a Syrian man in front of Dar al-Amal hospital in the Bekaa city of Baalbek.

According to the National News Agency, “three gunmen traveling in a gray Grand Cherokee kidnapped Syrian national Asaad Saleh Amin from his 'Cherokee 2006' car in front of Dar al-Amal hospital in Baalbek.”

Three army checkpoints in Tripoli, came under gunfire on Wednesday and the soldiers fired back.

The National News Agency said “army units deployed between al-Omari and Barrad al-Bissar streets and responded against the gunmen who shot at their checkpoint.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea questioned on Wednesday Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's opposition to the United States-led strikes against jihadist Islamic State positions in the region.

He asked Nasrallah: “Would you have maintained your initial rejection of the international coalition against the IS had Iran been part of it?”

Syrian singer Asala Nasri's passport was taken from her by Lebanese authorities on Wednesday due to an arrest warrant issued by the Syrian authorities in 2013 for “political reasons.”

Later on, State Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud decided, in accordance with Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi, to return Asala's passport and revoke “the search and investigation warrant” against her.