Press Digest for Thursday August 07, 2014

4^min

The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.

Detainee Imad Jomaa leading negotiations between Arsal's militants and the Lebanese army-sources

Security sources told As-Safir newspaper on Thursday that the number of militants fighting in the border town of Arsal is 2000, adding that the majority of them belong to the al-Nusra Front.

The same sources added that detainee Imad Ahmad Jomaa is currently leading the negotiations between the fighters and the Lebanese army.

According to the daily, Jomaa confessed during the interrogations that he was planning with the fighters to control the Lebanese army stations in Arsal, and to kidnap Shiite and Christian civilians in order to exchange them with Islamist inmates in the Roumieh prison.

The $1 Bln Saudi grant will be distributed in the next few hours-sources

Sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday that the $1 Bln Saudi Arabia grant to Lebanon will be distributed equally between the Internal Security Forces, the Lebanese Armed Forces and the General Security in the next few hours.

The same sources added that the Lebanese security apparatuses are following up on the $3 billion grant announced by Saudi Arabia last December to buy weapons from France to support and strengthen the Lebanese army.

MP Alain Aoun urges leaders to separate Lebanon's security affairs from politics

MP Alain Aoun told Acharq al-Awsat newspaper on Thursday that the latest meeting between MP Walid Jumbaltt and MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh tackled the security developments in the country, as well as the presidential elections.

Aoun also noted that the meeting broke the political stalemate between the two parties.

As for Arsal's clashes, MP Aoun urged the Lebanese leaders to separate Lebanon's security and stability from politics, adding that the ongoing clashes will not have a direct impact on the presidential elections.

Arsal militants vow to target LAF checkpoints with booby trapped cars in case of breach of ceasefire -sources

Sources told al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday that the militants fighting against the Lebanese army in the border town of Arsal vowed to target the army's checkpoints with booby trapped cars in case the ceasefire were breached.

The same sources added that the Lebanese army's top priority is to ensure the return of all captives, adding that the ceasefire will remain fragile as long as the militants are deployed in the border town of Arsal.

According to the daily, the Lebanese army is currently carrying out raids in Arsal to arrest fugitives involved in the clashes.