Two waves of suicide bombings have struck a mainly Christian village near Lebanon’s border with war-ravaged Syria, killing and wounding several people before dawn and in the evening.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks on Monday that bore the hallmarks of jihadist organisations like the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.

At least five people were killed and 15 wounded in the pre-dawn attacks in the eastern village of al-Qaa, in a hilly border area shaken by violence since Syria’s conflict erupted in 2011.

The Lebanese Red Cross, which gave the morning toll, said three suicide bombers also died.

In the evening attacks at least 13 people were wounded, the state-run National News Agency said, citing hospital officials.

A military source told AFP there were four suicide bombings in the latest wave of violence.

At least one of them struck near a church, while two bombers detonated their explosives near an armoured personnel carrier and a military intelligence unit.

A security source said two of the attacks were near the municipality building in the centre of the village.

Al-Qaa, one of several border posts separating Lebanon and war-torn Syria, has been on edge since dawn when residents were brutally woken up by the sound of explosions.

At least four suicide bombers hit the village from about 4.20am, the army said.

“The first attacker knocked on one of the homes in the village, but after the resident became suspicious he blew himself up,” a military source told AFP.

Three other suicide attackers had detonated their own explosives as people began gathering to treat the wounded.