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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Top leaders of Fateh al-Islam wounded & hiding |
| 2007-06-09 |
| Al Arabiyeh TV satellite, confirmed that both, Absi , leader of the Fatah al Islam and his deputy Abu Hureira are wounded and hiding in the cooperative building of the camp. Shaker Youssef al-Absi is a Jordanian of Palestinian origin and Abu Hureira, a Lebanese whose real name is Shehab al-Qaddour. Ya Libnan has reported on June 3 that Abu Hureira was seriously wounded in his arm and leg . Earlier reports said he was killed . Ya Libnan has also reported on June 6 that Shaker al Absi was wounded . The Lebanese troops pounded al Fatah al Islam militants dug in at the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el Bared in north Lebanon on Friday after the gunmen refused demands they give themselves up. Artillery and tanks blasted several areas of the camp, where Fatah al-Islam fighters have shown stiff resistance in nearly three weeks of often ferocious battles. "A shell hit a house where 10 civilians were sheltering," camp resident Wissam Badran told Reuters by telephone. "I took out four people -- a man, a woman and two children -- from under the rubble whom I think are dead. Six people were wounded." It was not immediately possible to confirm the report but reliable news of casualties from inside the camp has been difficult to acquire. Heavy machinegun fire echoed across the area as fires raged inside and clouds of smoke billowed over the camp, abandoned by most of its 31,000 residents. The fierce fighting resumed after two days of mostly sporadic clashes and came hours after Lebanese Islamists failed in a bid to convince Fatah al-Islam militants to surrender. But Lebanese sources said the Islamic Action Front, which includes Sunni politicians and clerics, would continue its efforts to find a solution to the standoff. AL QAEDA IDEOLOGY The fighting erupted on May 20 when the militants attacked army units deployed around Nahr al-Bared after one of their hideouts in a nearby city was stormed. At least 115 people, including 47 soldiers and 38 militants, have been killed. The Lebanese authorities have demanded the unconditional surrender of the gunmen, who have vowed to fight till death. Fatah al-Islam was officially formed late last year. Its leader, veteran Palestinian guerrilla Shaker al-Absi, says he shares the same ideology as al Qaeda but has no organizational links with that group. Many of his men are foreign Arab fighters, some of whom have fought in Iraq. The battles, the worst internal conflict since the 1975-1990 civil war, have threatened to spread to other parts of the country with deadly clashes earlier this week at another refugee camp and five bomb blasts in civilian areas in and near Beirut. A bomb exploded in a Christian industrial area north of Beirut on Thursday night, killing one civilian and wounding four, security sources said. The authorities have charged 30 detained members of Fatah al-Islam with terrorism, charges that carry the death penalty. Security forces also dismantled this week what they say is an al Qaeda cell preparing for car bomb attacks in Lebanon, arresting eight people and seizing weapons and explosives. On Friday, security sources said border authorities had arrested 12 Iraqis trying to enter Lebanon from Syria with forged Romanian passports. It was not known why they wanted to come to Lebanon. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 Ammo that produces non-lethal itching, could hardly be defined as a chemical weapons. Not unless you happen to work for the BBC, Reuters, The NYT or any other MSM |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-09 22:09 |
| #3 Urban warfare is a nightmare. I have come to belief that use of non-toxic irritants should be used to chase out enemy combatants. Ammo that produces non-lethal itching, could hardly be defined as a chemical weapons. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2007-06-09 20:34 |
| #2 Why the hell are they dicking around with these goons? Drop a 2,000 bomb down the chimney and be done with them. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2007-06-09 09:38 |
| #1 Here's hoping their notably clean environment does not prevent sepsis. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-06-09 07:29 |