BEIRUT
A member of Lebanon's Islamic Clerics Authority said on Sunday that his authority had brokered a cease-fire between the Lebanese army and militants in the northern city of Tripoli after two days of fighting.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Umari said the cease-fire had already come into effect starting from 05:00 GMT.
"We reached the cease-fire after several contacts," al-Umari told Anadolu Agency.
A medical source, meanwhile, told AA that aid responders had entered the sites of clashes between the Lebanese army and the militants in the northern city in order to evacuate scores of injured victims and civilians, especially women, children and elderly people.
A security source had earlier told AA that four Lebanese soldiers were killed during clashes between the army and militants in Tripoli.
"The four were killed as they tried to counter an attack by militants in Bahnin village," the source told AA, requesting anonymity.
A number of troops, including an officer, were also injured in the battle, the source added.
AA could not immediately obtain comments from the Lebanese army on the report.
Tripoli has been the scene of fierce clashes between the Lebanese army and militants for the past two days.
The new deaths bring the army's death toll from the Tripoli clashes to 11.
The Lebanese army has been the target of repeated attacks since September, particularly in the northern part of the country and in the area adjacent to the border with Syria.
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