Lebanese troops shelled al Qaeda-inspired militants entrenched in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp on Saturday and three soldiers died in the heavy battles, security sources said. They said 21 soldiers were also wounded in Saturday's battles in which machine-gun fire reverberated and heavy artillery shelling rocked the camp's edges from early morning.Television footage showed heavy black smoke billowing from many of the camp's buildings, some punctured by shells. "The army is trying to control positions that the militants are using to target the army," a military source said. "The militants sometimes intensify their efforts (and launch stronger attacks), and sometimes resort to sniper attacks from these positions."
At least 118 people, including 50 soldiers and 38 militants, have been killed since the fighting began on May 20 -- almost three weeks ago -- making it Lebanon's worst internal violence since the 1975-1990 civil war.
| On a per capita basis Lebanon lost more soldiers in 3 weeks of fighting than the US lost in Iraq in 4 years of war. |
Only a few thousand of the 31,000 residents now remain in the coastal camp short of food, water and electricity. The main road linking Tripoli to the Syrian border was closed for the first time in about a week. "There is no movement between the camp's neighborhoods because some shells are falling in civilian areas. The basic necessities of life aren't available," a resident of the camp, said by telephone.
"ONLY WAY OUT"
The latest mediation efforts by Lebanese Islamists to try to convince the militants to surrender have had no success. But Lebanese sources said the Islamic Action Front, which includes Sunni politicians and clerics, and a grouping of Palestinian clerics, would continue efforts to find a solution. "These people are insisting they don't surrender ... It is the only way out," the Front's leader Fathi Yakan told Reuters. "We are trying in every way to convince them, even using Islamic intellectual arguments and sharia (Islamic law) that this is not the right way," Yakan added. A proposed first step was the surrender of the group's Lebanese members.
On a mission into the camp on Friday afternoon, they were only able to see Fatah al-Islam spokesman Shahine Shahine, Yakan said. "Something is going on within Fatah al-Islam ranks," the cleric said. "Their leaders are no longer visible. We were only able to meet a junior official while their top leaders like Shaker Absi have gone to ground and aren't talking."
There were confirmed reports yesterday that Shaker Absi and his deputy Abu Hureira were both wounded and hiding underground in the besieged camp The militants, many of whom are foreign fighters from other Arab countries, have vowed to fight to the death.
Deadly clashes have erupted at Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp in the past week, and five bombs have rocked civilian areas in and near Beirut since May 20. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the army was holding back to preserve civilian lives. "That's why this battle is taking longer; and it's worth pointing out that these terrorists are well-equipped and well-trained and persistent," he told French television station TV5 on Friday.
The Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations were able to evacuate yesterday about 200 more civilians and efforts continue to evacuate more, against the will of Fatah Al-Islam militants who are trying to use the civilians as human shields, according to eyewitnesses. Authorities have charged 32 detained members of Fatah al-Islam with terrorism, charges that carry the death penalty
Siniora points finger at Syria
Lebanon's parliament-backed prime minister, a staunch opponent of Syria, accused intelligence agents of the country's former powerbroker of being connected to the internal unrest Â… by far the deadliest since the 1975-90 civil war. "Undoubtedly ... there is a link between them and some of the Syrian intelligence services," Siniora told reporters
He said foreign fighters among the militants had entered Lebanon from Syria and appealed to the Damascus authorities to exercise greater control over the border. "They passed through Syria, and the responsibility is joint. I do not deny Lebanon's responsibility, but nobody can deny Syria's responsibility either," he said. "We call on the Syrians to take up the responsibility of controlling the border and prevent the infiltration of individuals and arms smuggling into Lebanon."
Many leaders from the parliament majority have urged Siniora to officially file with the Arab league a complaint against Syria for its role in destabilizing Lebanon.