Landmine kills three Lebanese soldiers along Syrian border

A mine blast killed three Lebanese soldiers Sunday as they were heading to take part in an offensive against  Daesh along the border with Syria, the army said.

Lebanon's army began its operation in the Jurud Ras Baalbek and Jurud Al Qaa region early on Saturday, and has already recaptured two thirds of the territory in the area, the military said.

The retaken area covers about 80 square kilometres (around 31 square miles) once controlled by the militants, the army said.

But an army source warned on Sunday that ousting Daesh from the rest of the territory would be tough.

"The toughest battle will be to retake the remaining 40 percent because it is there that Daesh fighters are gathered. Nevertheless the army is ready," said the source.

The soldiers killed on Sunday were on their way to join the offensive to oust Daesh, the military said in a statement.

"An army vehicle was hit by a landmine on the Al Najsa road roundabout in Jurud Arsal at noon today, killing three soldiers and injuring one soldier seriously," it read.

The statement said the wounded soldier was evacuated to hospital.

The battle against Daesh is being fought further north from Jurud Arsal, along the border with Syria.

The army also said soldiers blew up an explosives-packed car and a booby-trapped motorcycle carrying would-be suicide bombers in Jurud Ras Baalbek, preventing an attack on the troops.

Lebanon's battle against Daesh comes as the jihadist group faces assaults in both neighbouring Syria and Iraq, where the government early Sunday announced an offensive on the group's bastion of Tal Afar.