Al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate threatened on Sunday to kill Lebanese soldiers it captured in fighting in August unless the army halts operations against Islamist militants in Lebanon's second city Tripoli.

The Lebanese army, meanwhile, said gunmen kidnapped a soldier from his home in the port city, the second seized in northern Lebanon since Saturday.

Several civilians and troops were killed as 20 soldiers and civilians were wounded in armed clashes in the old souks of the northern city of Tripoli that erupted Friday evening and continued until Saturday afternoon.

In the evening, the army said its units completed their deployment in the old souks and the al-Zahriyeh neighborhood after arresting several gunmen and wounding many others.

The army on Saturday seized weapons from a guard room at MP Khaled al-Daher's house in the northern city of Tripoli after “gunmen loyal to him” appeared on the street.

“The army confiscated four rifles from the guard room of MP Khaled al-Daher's house in the Tripoli area of al-Dam wal Farz,” state-run National News Agency reported.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed Saturday that authorities will not allow “a bunch of terrorists” to take Tripoli hostage, in the wake of fierce clashes between the army and Islamist gunmen in the northern city.

“Following the successful security operation that the army carried out in Dinniyeh, which spared Tripoli and the North dangerous terror attacks, the Lebanese were surprised by a series of security violations and attacks on the army and security forces in the capital of the North,” Salam said in a statement.

At least two army troops were killed and several others wounded in an armed attack Saturday on a military vehicle in the Akkar area of al-Mhammara, which was followed by clashes with gunmen “loyal to Sheikh Khaled Hoblos” and a failed attempt to abduct five soldiers.

In a separate incident, gunmen fired “a rocket-propelled grenade against an army vehicle in the northern area of Minieh near the Haroun mosque, which resulted in the death of an officer and the wounding of two troops,” the army said in a statement.

People who are craving for an extra hour of sleep will be deprived from it on Saturday as clocks should be turned back one hour at 12:00 am.

This marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST).

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-RAhi renewed on Saturday his call for the election of a new head of state, rejecting to let the Lebanese get used to the vacuum at the Baabda Palace.

“There is no justification for not electing a new president,” al-Rahi said during a meeting at the Maronite Diocese of Saint Maron of Sydney in Australia.

Militant Ahmed Salim Miqati, who was arrested during an army raid in the town of Asoun in the northern district of Dinniyeh, and 12 members of his terrorist cell, had plans to execute violent attacks on the 27th of Oct against Ashura gatherings in several Shiite Lebanese areas, media reports said.

The cell that includes Miqati, 5 Lebanese and 7 Syrian nationals had plans to move from Tripoli to Beirut. Another terrorist cell was meant to join them from the Burj al-Barajneh and the Ain el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp to help execute suicidal terrorist attacks against Shiite gatherings in the southern suburb of Beirut, Nabatieh and Lassa in Jbeil.

Deputy Speaker Farid Makari expressed doubt on Saturday that the presidential elections would be held in 2014, expecting that lawmakers will link the extension of the parliamentary tenure with the vacuum at the Baabda Palace.

“Extending the term of the parliament is a temporary solution until a new head of state is elected,” Makari said in an interview with An Nahar newspaper.

The Lebanese security forces are preparing for an assault against sleeper cells planted in delicate areas across the country amid reports saying that soldiers who recently defected from the army are still on Lebanese territories.

Security sources said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday that the army will raid several regions across Lebanon to destroy small groups planning to carry out delicate security acts in the capital Beirut, Beirut's Southern Suburbs and the Bekaa.