DAILY SCOPE: Lebanese Major Cities Free From Political Banners

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:

As-Safir:

Beqa'a Survives Danger of ‘DAESH Emirate'

AN-NAHAR:

Three Cities Banner-Free Owing to Dialogue
International Warning on Fragile Situation on Border

AL-AKHBAR:

Hizbullah to Girault: Aoun is Our Candidate, Nothing Has Changed
 
AL-JOMHOURIYA:

Campaign of Removing Political Banners Launched

The dialogue between Hizbullah and the Future movement started giving its fruits with practical measures to alleviate tension, where Beirut, Tripoli and Saida witnessed the beginning of an encompassing campaign to remove all political banners and slogans. Meanwhile, security warning as sent to one of the Persian Gulf States saying that Daesh is planning for a suicide attack against it. Papers also discussed the regional situation on the security and military levels.

As-Safir newspaper said that an embassy of a Gulf country was advised to step up its security measures and take maximum precautions to avert a double suicide bombing by the so-called "ISIL".

A security source told as-Safir that the Lebanese security apparatuses have received information that Daesh is planning for executing a double attack on the mentioned embassy, where three terrorists from Arab nationalities were to execute the attack. According to the paper, the identity of the terrorist extremists were identified by western intelligence.

More on the security level, the paper noted that the Lebanese-Syrian borders, particularly the Masna'a point and another zone called Yabous have overcome a very dangerous security situation, through which the terrorist groups aimed at spreading to the Lebanese territories.

Well-informed security sources told as-Safir daily that ‘the terrorist groups concentrated in Arsal outskirts have been trying since some time to impose a new situation in the region, through which it can be in control and re-open the road to Arsal; and that is why on they have smuggle attempts on daily basis towards the Lebanese Army posts, with a major smuggling act being foiled by the Lebanese army two days ago.

An-Nahar newspaper for its part focused on the campaign launched Thursday to remove party banners and photos from Beirut and several cities, which was the result of talks between Hizbullah and Future Movement.
The paper underscored the importance of such a steady step in the course of dialogue under the patronage of House Speaker Nabih Berri.

Sources in charge of executing the plan told an-Nahar that the campaign was really encompassing, reaching areas that have never witnessed such measures since long, such as the area of Beirut International airport, Ne'meh and Saida, as well as other regions known to be of high sensitivity.

One day to the beginning of the campaign, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq told an-Nahar "After the first day of carrying out the campaign, this is the first step to the road to stability in Lebanon."
Al-Mashnouq had met with the governors on Monday to discuss the issue. They agreed to remove Hizbullah, al-Mustaqbal and Amal Movement banners and flags from the streets of Beirut and along the coastal highway from Tripoli to the southern city of Sidon.

The governor of Beirut, Ziad Shebib, said that 90 percent of political slogans and posters have already been removed.
Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials, who have been holding talks in Ain el-Tineh under Speaker Nabih Berri's sponsorship since December, welcomed on Tuesday the steps to eliminate the posters and portraits.

For its part, al-Akhbar newspaper saw that Jordan's execution of two Daesh terrorists as in answer to the burning of the Jordanian pilot Maath al-Kassasbah opens the door again to Lebanon once again discuss a possibility of the Lebanese state replying to the murdering of Lebanese Army soldiers by Daesh and al-Nusra front.

The paper highlighted that at the time Jordan replied swiftly to the killing of its pilot, pressure was put on the Lebanese government to alter the death sentences of five ‘Fateh al-Islam' terrorists to life-imprisonment, while also putting more pressure to execute the demands of the terrorists.

Source: al-Ahed news