DAILY SCOPE: Aleppo Battles Will Increase Waves of Syrian Refugees, Lebanon Will Close Its Borders

Local Editor

LEBANESE DAILIES:

AS-SAFIR:

UN Rejects Humanitarian Plan of Russians, Moscow Escalates Raids

AL-AKHBAR:

Hariri Passes Time...While Waiting for the Saudi Word

AL-BINAA:

Heavy Battles on Aleppo's Fronts, Moscow Declares 3-Hour Truce Daily and Washington Approves

AL-LIWA:

Fierce Battles in South Aleppo, Syrian Army Fails in Retrieving Its Places

AL-JOMHOURIA:

US Reassurances...Lebanon Waits for a Solution and Keeps an Eye on Aleppo

Lebanese newspapers on Thursday followed up on the situation in Syria as the battles become fiercer in Aleppo. The dailies focused a lot on Aleppo because of its importance to Lebanon and the repercussions that might reflect on Lebanon.

On this note, the papers quoted sources assuring that Lebanon will close its borders in face of the new waves of Syrian migrants as the Aleppo battles escalate in light of the dire situation in the country and the lack of aid from international donors. Also, the newspapers touched on domestic files with special attention to the presidential impasse.

AS-SAFIR: Political, Military Escalation in Aleppo to Contain terrorist Groups, Releasing Political Pressure

Russia continues increasing its raids on the line of battles between Aleppo and Idlib in which it targets terrorist groups, at the time political efforts are made between Washington and Moscow to divide the opposition into "terrorists" and "moderates" and release the political pressure that has resulted from encircling Aleppo cities in which more than 250 thousand citizens reside.

According to the newspaper, these developments come as the so-called "Jihadi" groups (composed of the different terrorist groups such as Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"]) increase reinforce their troops around Aleppo to start the fourth phase of the battles of "Liberating Aleppo". This, according to the Lebanese daily, comes after the Syrian army succeeded in shutting the gap that was made by the terrorists in the South-Western of Aleppo.

Moreover on this note, As-Safir said that the political escalation and the ongoing diplomatic movement during the past two days coincide with the Syrian-Russian pressure on the ground and on terrorist groups in particular. This takes place as the positions of the terrorist groups and their starting points in Aleppo's Eastern outskirt are heavily targeted, not to mention the steady and heavy Russian air raids targeting the al-Nusra front and the Ahrar al-Sham terrorist groups in Idlib.

AL-JOMHOURIA: Aleppo Battles Will Increase Displaced Waves, Lebanon to Close Borders

High-ranking diplomatic sources told al-Jomhouria newspaper that "the issue of presidency in Lebanon is not related to the happenings in Syria's Aleppo, rather the major impact of the Aleppo battles would be a new wave of displaced Syrians seeking shelter in Lebanon.

According to the paper, governmental sources have advised to focus on the Syrian-Lebanese borders, and close it in face of the new displacement waves "because Lebanon cannot handle more burden and more refugees, and because the donor countries are not ready to double its aid to Lebanon."

In this context, al-Jomhouria daily expected that the Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam would call the ministerial committee for displaced affairs to a meeting soon to discuss the new developments. Also, Lebanese official sources reassured that Lebanon has taken a decisive decision to stop the waves of displaced Syrians from flooding into Lebanon, where the Lebanese Army and Security Forces will put their utmost effort to prevent any waves from entering the country through the borders.

AN-NAHAR: Cabinet "Shaky", Situation Might Get More Complicated

Sources expressed its fears to An-Nahar newspaper on the current situation in Lebanon, saying that it is concerned that social crises will increase in the country, especially as the cabinet seems pulled to pieces. One of the main incidents that reflect the cabinet's "shaky" reality is the sharp argument that took place between the Telecoms minister and the Foreign Minister two days ago over the illegal internet file that came to light in March. Such incidents, according to the sources, decrease the chances of reaching solutions in the different pending files in the cabinet.

Moreover, the sources expressed its fears that the situation in the country might get even more complicated, due to the political difficulties facing the country, as well as the pending presidential impasse that has been keeping the first chair empty for more than three years so far. Hence, the sources said that the complications put the Lebanese cabinet before a new phase of "tug of wars" and limits its productivity that is already seen as weak.

Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor. The cabinet has failed to hold regular sessions since September because of the dispute on the decision-making mechanism and the dispute on the appointment of high-ranking military and security officials in absence of a president.

Source: al-Ahed News