Nahar.net

At least nine people were killed, including four suicide bombers, and fifteen others were wounded in multiple suicide bombings in eastern Lebanon near the border with Syria, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

A series of four suicide explosions struck at 10 minute intervals and hit the predominantly Christian village of al-Qaa.

"The first attacker knocked on one of the homes in the village, but after the resident became suspicious, he blew himself up," a military source told the Agence France Presse.

"People began gathering at the site of the explosion and the three other suicide attackers blew themselves up," he added.

A security source had said earlier that a bomb had exploded and then "more than one suicide bomber blew themselves (up)".

"At least eight killed including three suicide bombers, and 15 others injured," Georges Kettaneh, the general secretary of Lebanese Red Cross, told AFP.

He said 15 other people were wounded, including some in critical condition.

The victims were transported to the Hermel Governmental Hospital, NNA said.

Three Lebanese soldiers who were stationed in the area were wounded and transported to the hospital, said NNA.

The agency listed the names of the deceased as Faysal Aad, Joseph Lebbos, Majeb Wehbe, Bulos al-Ahmar and George Fares.

Those wounded were transported to the Batoul Hospital in Hermel including Khalil Wehbe, Bassel Matar, Milad Matar, Shadi Mokalled, Marwan Lebbos and Dunya Shahoud.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour ordered all hospitals to receive people wounded in the bombings and treat them at the ministry's expense.

Al-Qaa is one of several border posts separating Lebanon and war-torn Syria.

The border area has been rocked by clashes and shelling since Syria's conflict erupted in 2011.

Lebanon's army has fought off jihadist factions along the frontier and has sought to clamp down on local cells operating in the area.

In August 2014, the army clashed with the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria, in the border town of Arsal.

As they withdrew, IS and Al-Nusra kidnapped 30 Lebanese soldiers and policemen, 16 of whom were released after nearly 18 months of negotiations.