DAILY SCOPE: Presidency Sinks into More Complications, New ’ISIS’ Members Arrested in Lebanon
Local Editor
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
4 ISIL Members Arrested in Beirut, North
"Israel" Fears ISIL Attack: West Mistakes behind Terrorist Body Appearance
AN-NAHAR:
Who Raided on Syrian Army in Deir al-Zour?
Turkey Has No Intentions to Retreat from Iran, Accuses Iran of Sectarianism and Warns Russia
AL-AKHBAR:
Syrian War: Riyadh Challenges ‘Vienna'
Hariri Presidential Initiative Frozen
AL-BINAA:
Lavrov: NY Meeting Conditions Include Categorizing Terrorism, Opposition Delegation and Accepting Iran
AL-LIWAA:
Kerry Suggests Syria Talks on 18 Dec. in New York, Lavrov Supportive
The March-14 supporters' social media hype on the nomination of Marada Party head Suleiman Franjieh for Presidency forced their leaders to address the people and ask them to hold back their horses, as their reaction could only bring the situation into further complication. Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday reflected the ambiance of the country on the presidential candidacy and its latest developments, with clear dismay on the Hariri initiative and a call from the Christian patriarchy in Lebanon to sit back together on a dialogue table and lead the country out of the dark tunnel of presidential void.
Also, newspapers uncovered new information on new "ISIS" members working in Lebanon in cooperation with "ISIS" leaders in Syria's al-Rakka.
The Lebanese dailies as well followed up on the latest regional developments, most importantly Syria in light of the cold weather and its harsh conditions that did not prevent the Syrian army from making further advances.
AS-SAFIR: New "ISIS" Members Arrested in Beirut, North
Sources told as-Safir newspaper on Tuesday that some Lebanese people belonging to the terrorist group "ISIS" and occupy leadership posts in Syria's al-Rakka have been very active in communicating with some people inside Lebanon, either to form new terrorist cells or facilitate the transportation of ‘volunteers' to al-Rakka to pay allegiance to the group and then engage in war there.
In this context, the newspaper reported that the army intelligence forces arrested two people getting ready to leave to al-Rakka in Syria, in order to engage in war as part of "ISIS" members, and then come back to Lebanon to conduct security attacks in Beirut or Tripoli in the North of Lebanon.
Also, the paper quoted sources as saying that the Lebanese security forces arrested a Syrian who has been recruiting young Lebanese men to work for "ISIS".
AL-AKHBAR: March 14 Ask Supporters to Stop Social Media War
Sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that the General Secretariat of the Future Party and Lebanese Forces were forced to ask their supporters to keep silent over the nomination of head of the Marada Party Suleiman Franjieh for presidency, especially after the strong campaign the supporters had started over social media outlets.
According to the paper, and after a meeting between the two sides on Sunday, they took the decision saying that such online activity can increase the complexity of the situation. Yet, sources from the Lebanese Forces told the newspaper that the mistake should be soon fixed and Saad Hariri should take back his initiative of nominating Franjieh for presidency.
Several Christian parties from both the March 8 and March 14 camps have voiced objections or reservations over Franjieh's nomination, such as the Lebanese Forces, the Kataeb Party and the Free Patriotic Movement. Lebanon has been without a president since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014.
On Monday, Christian Maronite Patriarch Behara al-Rai said that all political and Christian forces must sit around a table to hold consultations and reach a domestic national decision on the figure that they want to nominate for the presidency.
AL-JOMHOURIA: Geagea's Only Desire to Hamper Franjieh Election
Well-informed political sources said on Tuesday that Samir Geagea has one aim which is to hamper the coming of Franajieh to office as the new president for Lebanon. Yet, the sources that this is not in reach since a relation between the two Christian parties [the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces] cannot be established on the basis of ‘declaring good intentions' at the time the country needs a national unity to find an exit to the current crisis.
Franjieh's chances to reach the Baabda Palace had recently made a dramatic surge in the wake of a Paris meeting between him and Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri.
AL-AKHBAR: Syrian Army Advances despite Harsh Weather
The harsh cold and weather conditions did not prevent the Syrian army and resistance forces from advancing further into the outskirts of Northern and Eastern Latakia as well as Southern Aleppo where they captured four new towns on Monday, said al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday.
Field sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that the army has become very close from capturing the Kaban strategic hills which can pave the way for having access to the Kurds mountains through the Job al-Ahmar hills.
The source further stressed that despite the very harsh weather conditions, the Syrian forces are making major strategic advances on more than one axis with the help of Russian aerial force.
As for Aleppo, military sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that the Syrian army has entered the second stage of war in the outskirts of the area, using new weapons and strategies. The source added that the army aims at gaining full control over the southern Aleppo, all the way to the Aleppo-Damascus international highway.
Source: al-Ahed news
Comments
