Two Lebanese soldiers were killed in the neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh in northern city of Tripoli on Monday as the army sought to implement a security plan to contain the clashes.

Two Lebanese soldiers were killed in the neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh in northern city of Tripoli on Monday as the army sought to implement a security plan to contain the clashes, local media reported.

Three other soldiers were wounded in the operation.

The death of the soldiers, one of them named Omar Omar, brings the toll in the second day of fighting in Tripoli to four, the other two being civilians.

The deaths prompted residents in the city to block roads in protest against the gunmen's targeting of the army.

Some fighters are refusing to abide by the army's orders to lay down their arms in a measure that is seen as an attempt to maintain tensions in the city.

Earlier on Monday, media outlets reported that a unit from the Third Rapid Intervention Regiment has entered Bab al-Tabbaneh and the rival Jabal Mohsen neighborhood.

However, the cautious calm that reigned in Tripoli early Monday morning was shattered around noon by rocket attacks in addition to sniper fire that wounded three people.

The gun battles between rival neighborhoods - Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen - left on Sunday two people dead and at least 26 injured, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said two soldiers and a member of the Internal Security Forces were among the wounded in the fighting.

The Defense Ministry froze the issuing of gun licenses in Tripoli until further notice and the military court tasked military police to carry out the preliminary investigation into the fighting.

Traffic in the northern city was slow but the army reopened the international highway that links Tripoli with Akkar district in the area of al-Tabbaneh.

Tripoli has seen repeated clashes two months ago. In March, at least five people were killed and 26 others were wounded, including army troops, in gun battles between Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.