"We have 163 soldiers killed in the battles at the camp," an army spokesman told reporters.

He said five of the soldiers died Sunday in the final assault on the Sunni Muslim Fatah al-Islam militants who had been engaged in a standoff with the army since May 20.

The spokesman also said that between 400 to 500 soldiers were injured in the fighting and many of them were permanently disabled. He could not specify how many more remain in hospital.

He said the army was planning to organize special celebrations for the estimated 3,000 soldiers who fought at Nahr al-Bared, especially since this year's Army Day on August 1 could not be properly commemorated because of the standoff.

"Once the soldiers finish cleanup operations at the camp and leave the area to rejoin their bases, we expect that there will be a sort of military parade so that people along their route can thank them for their courage and sacrifice," he said.

"I speak for every soldier when I say this victory is equal in importance as to when Lebanon gained its independence," he said.

The death toll is very significant for a small country like Lebanon. The population of Lebanon is only 4 million people . On a per capita basis the death toll for Lebanon in 3.5 months is more than three times the death toll of American soldiers in Iraq in the past 4.5 years. Up until Sept. 2, 2007 the United States with a population of 300 million has lost 3739 soldiers in Iraq.

Picture: Funeral of one of the soldiers that was killed in the battle last week.

Sources: Naharnet, Ya Libnan