The Army Command celebrated on Saturday the army's victory in ousting the Islamic State extremist militants from Lebanon's eastern border, the National News Agency reported.

Army chief Major General Jospeh Aoun presided over the ceremony honoring army units that participated in the Dawn of the Outskirts battle.

General Security Chief Major General Abbas Ibrahim hailed the “sacrifices” of Lebanese towns of Arsal, Baablbek and al-Qaa that have paved way for “building a strong State,” the National News Agency reported on Friday.

President Michel Aoun met on Friday with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag, the National News Agency reported.

The meeting took place prior to President Aoun’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and his meeting with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

A decree was issued on Friday to form the supervisory body that will oversee the 2018 parliamentary elections following its formation during a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, the National News Agency reported.

Decree number 1385 bore the signatures of President Michel Aoun, Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil and Minister of Interior Nouhad al-Mashnouq, said NNA.

A Constitutional Council meeting set to study an appeal of the new tax law that was approved to fund a new wage scale for civil servants and the armed forces was postponed until Monday, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

President Michel Aoun will deliver a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on September 21 in New York highlighting the internal developments in Lebanon since the presidential elections last October, al-Mustaqbal daily reported on Friday.

The Assembly's annual session will open at the level of Heads of State on 19 June. It will be an opportunity for international, Arab and regional meetings to discuss the topics that are at the forefront of global concern and international priority issues.

Lebanon’s army stepped up security measures on Thursday outside the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, the National News Agency reported.

The military intensified precautions and conducted security checks at the camp's main entrances, NNA said.

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen, visited on Thursday the 9th Brigade of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed around the northeastern town of Arsal, an official statement said.

Lassen also held meetings with the Head of the Municipality of Arsal, Bassel el-Hujeiri, and with UN agencies representatives.

Kataeb party leader MP Sami Gemayel has called on “Lebanon's authority to step down” after a rally to celebrate the army's eastern border victory against Islamic State jihadists was called off, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

“Day after day, this authority proves its inability, failure and complicity, and day by day the need for its departure increases in order to save the free national decision and restore national sovereignty and establish the state's reference,” said Gemayel in an interview to the daily.

Hizbullah party said that the Islamic State group has released captive fighter Ahmed Maatouk early on Thursday as part of a Hizbullah-IS deal.