Fatah al-Islam militants continue to clash with Lebanese security forces at the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, at least 20 militants being killed as they were trying to flee, military officials said Sunday.

A group of Islamic militants attempted to leave the settlement while others opened fire on Lebanese soldiers from different positions around the camp early Sunday, but the army launched a major offensive and prevented the gunmen from escaping.

According to a military source, rebels wearing uniforms of the Lebanese army attacked an outpost on the camp’s outskirts at the same time when militants launched an attack in another part of the settlement.

Lebanese forces retaliated with artillery fire and planes that destroyed Fatah al-Islam positions, the entire area surrounding the camp being immediately sealed off by government troops.

The army did not release an official statement regarding these incidents, but security sources said at least twenty militants were killed and several more injured or detained. At the same time, checkpoints were set up on adjacent roads and in Beirut.

Witnesses said soldiers were stopping each vehicle and searching it in order to prevent militants from fleeing. As another precautionary measure, the road linking Tripoli to Syria was also closed on Sunday.

Search operations were launched in nearby villages, while soldiers continued to attack Fatah al-Islam positions inside Nahr al-Bared in order to rout out remaining fighters and end the conflict that has been raging since May.

Reports from the region said two soldiers have lost their lives during the intense fire exchange, bringing the death toll to 155 among army forces.

Dozens of civilians were killed by crossfire or bombings, the remaining Palestinians leaving the camp and heading to other settlements left untouched by the savage conflict. About 40,000 persons were living at Nahr al-Bared, but most of them quickly fled the town located in northern Lebanon, 16 kilometers from Tripoli.