A ceasefire took effect Sunday in the border area between Syria and Lebanon, halting separate but simultaneous week-long offensives against the Isil group by the Lebanese army on one side and Hezbollah and Syrian troops on the other.

The two sides say they have driven the militants from most of the border region.

The U.S.-backed Lebanese military, which denies coordinating its offensive with the Syrian army, said the cease-fire is to allow negotiations over the fate of several Lebanese soldiers captured by militants three years ago.