国际英语新闻:Ceasefire reached between Lebanese army, Syrian gunmen in Arsal

BEIRUT, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army and the Syrian gunmen reached a 24-hour ceasefire in Lebanon's eastern border town of Arsal starting from 7:00 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, local media reported.

"The 24-hour ceasefire is aimed at holding negotiations to release soldiers who were held captive and to aid the wounded, on condition no attacks are launched against troops," the Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

It added that the "Lebanese Red Cross" has started evacuating the wounded in the Arsal clashes.

Earlier in the day, Armed Forces chief General Jean Qahwaji informed Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam at a security meeting that the military approved a 24-hour ceasefire mediated by the Muslim Scholars Committee, during which humanitarian aid will be brought into Arsal and the injured people will be evacuated.

On Saturday, clashes erupted in Arsal between the Lebanese army and alleged Syrian gunmen who crossed into the border town following the arrest of Imad Jomaa, a Syrian national accused of being a top leader of al-Qaida's Syrian branch al-Nusra Front.

After the arrest, Syrian gunmen surrounded the army posts in Arsal before opening fire on soldiers. A total of 14 soldiers and at least three civilians have been killed and 86 others wounded since the eruption of the clashes, while 22 troops have gone missing, according to an army communique on Monday.