Three Lebanese troops have been killed fighting Islamist fighters who have been battling the army for more than three months in north Lebanon, security sources said on Sunday. According to Reuters, the three were killed on Saturday in clashes with al Qaeda-inspired Fatah al-Islam fighters who have been holed up in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp near the northern city of Tripoli, the sources said.
Two more soldiers died on Friday when battle resumed after an evacuation of the gunmen's wives and children who had been sheltering in the largely destroyed camp.
The army has now lost 148 troops since May 20 when the fighting erupted.
