DAILY SCOPE: Takfiris Transferring Fighters to Western Qalamoun through Camouflage

Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday 17-03-2015 focused on the Hizbullah-Future movement dialogue as well as the war of the Lebanese army against takfiri terrorism. On the international level, papers focused on the Iranian nuclear file. 

The possible extension of the terms of high-ranking security officials is a matter related to the delicate situation that the country is passing through. Ministers on Tuesday refused to comment on the issue. Defense Minister Samir Moqbel refused to comment to as-Safir newspaper on the thorny matter, saying: "I will not enter in any political rhetoric amid the current circumstances, which everyone realizes their sensitivity."

For his part, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said that "discussing the delicate security matter via media would put the military and security institutions at risk," adding "an accurate decision will be taken in accordance with the constitution."

For instance, the tenure of Army chief General Jean Qahwaji is set to end in September. His term was extended for two years in September 2013. The military positions in Lebanon are suffering as a result of the months-long presidential vacuum in light of the parliament's failure to elect a successor for Michel Suleiman.

On another note, Speaker Nabih Berri has said he holds onto the dialogue between Hizbullah and the Future movement despite the latest exchange of accusations between the two parties' officials.

Al-Liwaa daily on Tuesday quoted sources close to Berri as saying that the eight round of talks would be held under his sponsorship in Ain el-Tineh on Wednesday unless it was delayed for some reason. The sources said that Berri will not allow the dialogue to collapse despite the tension that emerged between Hizbullah and the Future movement.

Hizbullah and Future party officials have been meeting in Ain el-Tineh since December to defuse sectarian hostility linked to the war in Syria, currently discussing a joint national strategy to combat terrorism and the presidential deadlock.

Several militants were killed Monday evening as the Lebanese army foiled an infiltration attempt into the Bekaa border town of Arsal, following clashes at noon in the outskirts of the border town of Ras Baalbek.
"The Lebanese army thwarted an infiltration attempt in at Wadi Hmeid's checkpoint in Arsal, killing and wounded several militants," papers quoted Lebanon's State-Run news agency NNA. 

Earlier in the day, the army targeted gunmen on Ras Baalbek's outskirts as they were trying to infiltrate Lebanon, NNA said. The agency said that the army detected movements by armed men trying to infiltrate through the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, targeting them with the appropriate artillery weapons.

Lebanese and Syrian sources reported to al-Akhbar newspaper that the so-called ""ISIL" is transferring its fighters from eastern Qalamoun to Western Qalamoun at a time when armed opposition factions are still engaged in battles with the terrorist group to limit its expansion.

In this regard, the newspaper noted that the attack conducted by IS fighters on a position for the Syrian army in Deir Attieh (eastern Qalamoun) almost 2 weeks ago was a camouflage to transport 1,000 of its fighters to the western side of the said region. 

On the international level, a Diplomatic European sources revealed to as-Safir newspaper that the Brussels station was an important step in the negotiations, which show that European sides are also concerned with the negotiations and not only the US. 

Iran nuclear talks entered a critical week Monday with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran foreign minister sitting down in Switzerland seeking an elusive breakthrough after 18 months of intense negotiations. Time is running out, however, with Kerry and Mohammad Javad Zarif aiming to agree the outlines of an agreement by the end of the month. A full accord is then due by July 1.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State John Kerry held discussions for five hours in Lausanne on Monday.

The meeting was also attended by head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, Zarif's deputies, Abbas Araqchi and Majid Takht-e Ravanchi, special assistant to Iran's president, Hossein Fereidoun, US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman.

The new round of talks opened in the Swiss city on Sunday as Salehi and Moniz held high-level technical talks. Experts from Iran and the US as well as the AEOI spokesman, Behrouz Kamalvandi, were also present in the meeting.

An-Nahar newspaper quoted EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, as saying on Monday that the negotiations between Iran and the six countries were entering a critical stage, urging all sides to find "common ground" to solve the outstanding issues.

"We are entering a crucial time, a crucial two weeks where negotiations will have to find the common ground for a good deal" Mogherini said ahead of her talks with the foreign ministers of Iran, Germany, Britain and France.