Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Murr said on Tuesday the army had killed at least 222 members of the suspicious Fatah al-Islam group during a 15-week clashes at a refugee camp, as troops hunted down the last remnants of the group following a final assault.

"The number of terrorists killed stands at 222 and there are 202 who were taken prisoner," Murr told a press conference during which he hailed the army's weekend victory over the grouplet at the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp.

He said there were still an undetermined number of militants buried in mass graves inside the camp by fellow fighters.

Murr stressed that the bombed-out seaside camp would remain under the authority of the state, reiterating similar comments made by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.

"There will be no authority but that of the state to protect the civilians at Nahr al-Bared," Murr said.

"Our Palestinian brothers also paid a dear price because of these terrorists."