Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas will kick off on Saturday a tour on Arab countries to tackle the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis with senior officials.

According to al-Mustaqbal newspaper, Derbas will travel to Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi on Friday announced that he has decided to expand a probe into the mysterious death of toddler girl Celine Rakan, amid reports that the investigation was not thorough and that the Ethiopian maid was suddenly accused of murdering the child.

The minister said he discussed the issue with State Prosecutor Samir Hammoud and they agreed to refer the case to the judicial department for further investigations.

Another Lebanese soldier has defected to al-Nusra Front, media reports said on Friday evening, only hours after the group published a video in which the soldier Mohammed Antar announced that he had "joined the jihadists."

"The soldier Abdullah Ahmed Shehadeh, who hails from the Akkar town of Mashha, has defected to al-Nusra Front," al-Jadeed TV reported, noting that he was a member of the Fifth Intervention Regiment.

The army carried out several raids on Friday in Akkar towns, after the murder of soldier Milad Mohammed Issa in al-Rihaniyeh.

“Army troops patrolled and closed roads for search and inspection in al-Dreib on the highway of Halba-Qobaiyat,” announced the National News Agency.

Hizbullah on Friday announced that the latest battles in Brital's outskirts were aimed at “creating an emirate” on the border of the Bekaa, claiming advances in the mountains of Syria's Qalamun region in the face of “takfiri” groups.

“Lebanon has fended off the threats of the Syrian crisis through the wisdom of its rational men, the Lebanese army's resilience and steadfastness, and the performance of Hizbullah and its allies,” Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem announced during a memorial service.

A suspect wanted on several drug smuggling charges was injured on Friday during an army raid against his residence in the Tal Abyad area in the eastern region of Baalbek, reported the National News Agency.

Nouh Zoaiter sustained injuries to his legs during the raid, after which he was taken to al-Rayyan Hospital for treatment amid the heavy deployment of the army and Zoaiter family gunmen around the facility.

Security forces sealed with red wax a foodstuffs factory in Bar Elias in the Bekaa for not abiding by health standards.

“A patrol from the Bekaa's State Security department accompanied by a patrol from the Consumers Protection Department stormed a factory for the manufacture of spices, thyme and the canning of grains and foodstuffs,” said the National News Agency.

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji has accused the Islamic State group of seeking to ignite civil war in Lebanon and of relying on sleeper cells in the northern district of Akkar and the port city of Tripoli.

In an interview with the French daily Le Figaro, Qahwaji said the terrorists were counting on the cells in northern Lebanon and on the backing of some Sunni figures to achieve their objectives.

The families of the abducted soldiers and policemen stressed on Monday that the cabinet vowed to ensure the safe return of their relatives, confirming that negotiations with jihadists are ongoing.

“The government promised to hand us our sons safe,” the families said after meeting with General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim.

A man was injured on Friday when several border towns in the northern Akkar district came under gunfire from the Syrian side of the border, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said the car crashed after gunfire from the neighboring country reached the towns of Qashlaq, Hekr Jenine and the highway that links al-Abboudiyeh with Monjez.