The Army Intelligence carried out on Saturday raids on Syrian refugee encampments in the northern city of Zgharta and the Mount Lebanon region of Iqlim al-Kharroub, reported the National News Agency.

It said that 15 Syrians were arrested during the operation in Zgharta.

A general session aimed at electing members of parliamentary committees next week will be used to set the date for a session to extend parliament's term, reported the Kuwaiti daily al-Anba on Saturday.

Parliamentary sources told the daily that the parliament will approve the extension draft-law and speed up its implementation in a manner that will lead to its publication in the official gazette within five days.

A detainee held by the Army Intelligence confessed during investigations to his role during the August clashes in the northeastern border town of Arsal between the army and Islamists from Syria, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

Ibrahim Bohloq confessed that he belongs to the Islamic State jihadist group, adding that he killed Colonel Noureddine al-Jamal.

Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri highlighted to Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi the need to extend parliament's term given the failure to elect a new president, explaining that Lebanon will be faced with vacuum in these two state institutions if the extension does not take place, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

Hariri pledged to al-Rahi that he will “not back down from staging the presidential elections after the extension.”

A large quantity of arms and explosive ammunition was found on Friday evening near the house of General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim in the southern town of Kawthariyat al-Siyyad.

“Members of the General Security intelligence department in the South discovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material that were packed in nylon bags and distributed in three areas near rocks, in the vicinity of … Ibrahim's house in Kawthariyat al-Siyyad,” state-run National News Agency reported.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq and Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas categorically rejected on Friday all calls for self-security in the face of the growing security concerns in the country, urging a bigger security role for municipalities.

“A lot of parties have spread rumors and calls for self-security as an excuse to take up arms,” Mashnouq said at a seminar on the role of municipalities which was organized by the Kataeb Party.

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel on Friday called for urgent measures to control the presence of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and count their numbers, suggesting the recruitment of new municipal police members who would contribute to protecting towns and villages.

“We are largely counting on the role of local authorities and municipalities amid the current circumstances in the country and in the face of all the threats that Lebanon is facing,” said Gemayel at a Kataeb-organized seminar on the role of municipalities.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday emphasized that his party's situation is “solid” on Lebanon's southern and eastern borders, stressing that it “cannot be shaken by storms, snow, ISIL or al-Nusra” Front.

“I do not at all fear this 'noise' that is called ISIL (Islamic State group) or al-Nusra or anyone who follows them, and the reason is that they do not represent Islam in any way whatsoever,” Qassem said during an educational ceremony.

United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura continued on Friday his tour on Lebanese officials on his second day of visit to Lebanon, stressing the international community's determination to maintain stability in the country.

The U.N. official discussed with head of al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc Fouad Saniora the general situation in Lebanon and the region.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Friday reiterated his support for his presidential nominee MP Henri Helou as Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced that there is “nothing new” in the issue of the stalled presidential vote.

“Talks were frank and positive ... and there were points of agreement and contention, but in the end we only have the choice of dialogue,” Jumblat said following talks with Geagea in Maarab.