Fierce fighting rocks Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon
Lebanese Army uses Artillery, tanks in clashes with Fatah al-Islam; blast kills one in Christian town near Beirut.
By News AgenciesLebanese troops pounded Al-Qaida-inspired militants dug in at a Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon on Friday after the gunmen refused demands they give themselves up.
Artillery and tanks blasted several areas of the squalid Nahr al-Bared camp, where Fatah al-Islam militants 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 40,000 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.
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.
Explosion rocks Christian town north of Beirut, killing oneA bomb went off near a Christian town north of Beirut on Thursday, killing at least one man and wounding three others, in the latest string of explosions that have shaken Lebanon since fighting erupted between army troops and Islamic militants in a northern refugee camp three weeks ago.
Security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media, said the blast occurred in an industrial area in the town of Zouk Mousbeh, about 20 kilometers from Beirut and near the town of Jounieh in the Christian heartland.
The explosion set off large fires in several buildings and black smoke was seen billowing from the area. Ambulances and fire engines raced to the scene, where mangled remains of cars lay overturned in the street.
Civil defense personnel pulled out the body of Pierre Dehni, whose nationality was not immediately known, from the wreckage of a gutted building. Two Syrian workers and a Lebanese man were also wounded in the blast, the officials said.
Al-Jazeera satellite television said a car bomb had caused the explosion but Lebanese officials could not immediately confirmed this. Firefighters said they expected to take hours to extinguish the blazes.
Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. television reported that the area targeted in the explosion consisted of about 300 industrial stores and shops that sell paint and inflammable materials. Stored gas and oxygen containers swiftly caught fire in the blast.
The blast was the second in four days. On Monday, 10 people were injured when a bomb exploded in an empty passenger bus parked in the Christian neighborhood of Bouchrieh east of Beirut.
With Thursday's blast, explosions in Beirut and nearby areas have killed two people and wounded over 40, since clashes started between Lebanese army troops and Islamic militants in the Nahr el-Bared Palestinian refugee camp close to the northern port city of Tripoli.
Anti-Syrian Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh, himself a survivor of a 2004 car bomb, claimed there was a direct link to the Nahr el-Bared clashes and blamed Syria for Thursday's blast. "We are witnessing terrorist attacks on the people, government and army of Lebanon," he said.
"The Syrian regime has promised to turn Lebanon into hell," anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Elias Atallah said.
Earlier Thursday, one Lebanese soldier was killed and three were wounded in clashes in Nahr el-Bared, while a military raid on a suspected militant hideout in the country's east uncovered three vehicles rigged with explosives.
The fighting in the northern camp, as well as this week's clashes at the Ein el-Hilweh camp near the southern city of Sidon and the latest bombings, have raised fears that Lebanon is heading for more violence.
The security officials said the army's fatality Thursday was gunned down by Fatah Islam snipers. Earlier in the day, the al-Qaida-inspired militants attacked an armored personnel carrier, wounding three soldiers, two of them seriously.
The army retaliated with artillery, tanks and heavy machine gunfire at suspected Fatah al-Islam positions inside the camp. The three explosives-rigged vehicles, two cars and a van, were discovered near the town of Bar Elias in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, hidden in a garage, along with several rockets, the officials said.
Witnesses saw at least one blindfolded suspect taken away by the troops.
The raid came a day after three foreign militants - two Syrians and an Iraqi - were captured nearby. A statement from the State Security Department on Thursday said suspects had confessed to being members of al-Qaida and that they planned to use car bombs in their attacks, according to the state-run National News Agency. There were no further details.
The United States and Arab allies have been rushing military supplies to Lebanese army to help strengthen it ahead of a possible full-out assault on the militants barricaded in Nahr el-Bared.
The U.S. airlift, however, has drawn criticism from Hezbollah, the U.S.-backed government's top domestic opponent, whose leader warned Lebanon was being dragged into a U.S. war against al-Qaida that would destabilize the country.
U.S. Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said Thursday that the United States had completed 21 airlift missions to provide ammunition to Lebanon, and that the airport team that unloaded the planes landing in Beirut had left.
Also Thursday, judicial authorities charged three Fatah Islam suspects with membership in a terrorist organization. Thirty Fatah Islam suspects are currently in custody.
Lebanon is home to 400,000 Palestinians, most of whom oppose groups such as Fatah Islam. However, impoverished and densely packed Palestinian camps have become fertile ground for groups such as Fatah al-Islam.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization's representative in Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, said Thursday that Lebanon's Palestinians should be allowed to set up their own security force inside the camps to prevent formation of armed gangs in the future.
Speaking after talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Zaki said the PLO proposes a force of 4,000 to 5,000 members for the Lebanon camps.
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Smoke billowing above the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon, as the Lebanese army shelled Fatah al-Islam positions in the camp. (AP) |
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Christans being killed because they are Christans. I havent heard the POPe speak out.
Hezbollah was formed in 1982, 25 years ago. The Lebanese Christians and Hezbollah have respected eachh others space, in a secular fashion, and never fought each other. These Al Quaeda guys are different. They don't want to be secular. They want a caliphate. The Lebanese Christians, Sunnis and Shiites (Hezbollah), along with the Palestinian Sunnis, will defeat them. But we are not going to use Israel's method, and target civilians, and turn all the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon into Al Quaeda.
you need to read more about the world if you think those are the only 2 countries that are currently engaging in abuse - you should look in your own back year - how about 10 years ago in kosovo/yugo? where was the european outrage about those abuses? believe it was america that stepped in and got things settled - not the 'Low lands'
Its time to operate as a secular state, respecting freedom of religion within limits, and to have a single army. Its time to get the army equipped by the leading nations in the world and eliminate militias. Its time to absorb all people into citizenship and treat them as Lebanese. Its time to be brave and even go so far as to make peace with Israel. Its time to realize that peaceful co-existence would generate an extraordinary economy. So its time to pick fights and to also have the peace of the brave.
Question: Do you think praying to a dead Jew will help convince fanatical Moslems to alter their murderous hostility to those outside, and even inside (e.g. Iraq), their "faith?" Yes? No?
Well said Bashir. The Maronites have a lot to be proud of in terms of their history and also their prime role in the establishment of Lebanon as an independent country. I think, though, that the French influence on the Maronites is hurting their image in the world as it is just a reminescence of colonial times. It is time they accept their identity as a Semitic people from the Eastern Mediteranean with a very rich history and culture that does not require any French influence to nurture it. I don't think Maronites are Arabs, as Arabs invaded the Levant as a Moslem power, and it is unlikely that Moslem invaders became Christians to any significant extent. Therefore, the Christians of Lebanon are most likely the original inhabitants of the land. In fact, a recent genetic study done by the National Geographic Society suggests that most Lebanese, including Moslems, are of Canaanite/Phoenician descent, not Arabs. Academic ? perhaps, but somehting for all Lebanese to keep in mind.
Palestinian are finding it difficult to manage any form of government on their own. There is a lot of in-fighting among factions. Blaming each other is the easiest way out. Best possible solution would be to recognize Israel as a country and be citizens of a democratic state. Israel on the other hand should recognize Palestinians as a minority with equal rights and freedom. Once that is achieved, people will realize how beneficial peace is for everybody both economically, socially and politically.
I am often amazed by the lack of correct English in news agency reports. In this one: "Lebanese officials could not immediately confirmed this" should read "Lebanese officials could not immediately confirm this"
It makes God very sad to see such hatred by Muslims who hate Him and those who love as He commanded us to. He came to this world to save us all from our sin, Jews and Gentiles. Why is such an act of love so hated by so many? Why must Muslims murder those who believe in this God of love? I am Lebanese and know that Lebanon allowed the Muslim "Palestinians" temporarily into Lebanon to save them from their Muslim brothers in other countries who wanted to kill them. Once in Lebanon the Muslim Palestinians have spent their time trying to kill off the original Lebanese people. They need to go home to their original countries and leave the Lebanese in peace. But this is not allowed in the Quran. So they must instead keep murdering Christians. God strengthen and save us from these murderers! I pray God reaches Muslims reading this to at least try to treat Christians as equals. If they could even learn to love as Christ loves us, then we could have true peace. God help us !
I just learnt that Dutch troops are responsible for Srebrenica massacre in which 5000 innocent civilians died. None of them was throwing stones or shooting at soldiers. Do not you think that there right, right to live was violated? By the way the number of victims of Sabra and Shatila massacre is 328 with 35 women and children according to Red Cross and 3500 according to Palestinians. As you can see both figures are well below 5000. Second I wonder where did your news paper get the information about the boys from? Allan Johnston was the only western journalist living in territories and he is out of commission for almost 3 month. Even though you can not refer to him as an independent impartial source since after he was kidnapped it was said that he was always fair to Muslims in his reports. I underscore that it was said that he was fair to Muslims not just fair. So if somebody is said to be fair to Muslims it means that he is not fair tosomebody else. I wonder who this somebody might be
The entire world should be assisting the Lebanese government in the destruction of every single theocratic organisation -- including not only these parasite Sunni theocrats in Pal camps, but Fuzzy Boweevil too. The best way for the world to assist with this is to destroy all military capacity of the principal provider of financial, logistical and other forms of support to theocrats worldwide -- Iran. Destroy Iran's military. Take its oil to pay for the operations, to compensate all victims of theocrat terrorists, and to build infrastructure worldwide for the global poor. It is time resources went to assist the innocent poor not theocratic murderers.
The palestinians have caused more suffering on themselves than anyone else could. They've also caused civil wars in two countries (Jordan and Lebanon). Kuwait expelled 300,000 palestinians for their support of the invasion by Saddam Hussein. Had they been peaceful, they might have been citizens of Lebanon, or Gaza an independent city-state, instead of purpetual refugees.
Consequences of French-British Mandate blunders ! that is for sure , Look what this Syria ba'ath regime is doin' in Leb , in Iraq and in Israel , with of course Iran involvement , If someone thinks that the french and brits actual policies are clean in this mess , then smell their coffee and tea , How funny that these senior Likud and Labor MKs scratch their heads to find out the intent of Syria thru its fake peace ouvertures for sure encouraged under french and brits manipulations , influence , Solana said that he support Syria theft of Golan , didn't he , or did solana said so to preserve French-Brit Mandate con guideline in this region ,was Assad counseled by French-brits thru Solana to seek talks with Israel ,as an escape route for the mess Assad is in , so who plays whom , Is this Leb Army fight is as prep to crush Hezbollah , People want to kill each others , they demand weapons from US , US more foxy than french and brits say , here are your weapons , go ahead kill each other in the name of democracy , and that is how these arabs resolve their problems , same as the rivaleries for power when fatah demand weapons to fight hamas , who knows , but may be Syria should be turned into a kurd or armenian territory ,
It's about time that the BIG CHRISTIAN COUNTRY USA (97% Christians) will help our Christian brothers and secular muslims in Libanon!
Why do you ignore the cries of pain of the Maronite Christians in Lebanon? Why don't you instantly call for boycotts? Why aren't the academics up in arms? Why don't the trade unions take industrial action? Don't accept their academic credentials. Oh don't hey have any? That's different!
Actually, you are right. I just learned that Pals in Leb camps have been allowed nothing for decades: passports, travel, jobs, owning something, buying something, medical care etcetera etcetera. It is definitely apartheid with a big A. On the other hand I just read an article in a Dutch paper about two Pal boys aged 13 and 14 who threw stones to IDF. Both detained for more then a year, fysically and mentally being tortured and humuliated in a crowded Israeli prison full off children. Horrible story. here is my outrage: Israel and Lebanon, two terible countries violating human rights in a terrible way.
Palestinians place the need for violence before the safety and security of their own civilains. If they have the ability to form armed groups that is their first priority. What 99.9% of the world think of as basic infrastructure necessities - school, shelter and health needs are secondary and palestinians leave those things to outside agencies - UN, EU or other NGOs. They save their energy and expertise for building a war machine in whatever fashion they can do so. Think of what a new palestinian state would look like. Armed to the teeth not with AK-47s and RPGs but with every state-of the-art weapons they can get their hands on. This is not a people but a gang.
Palestinians place the need for violence before the safety and security of their own civilains. If they have the ability to form armed groups that is their first priority. What 99.9% of the world think of as basic infrastructure necessities - school, shelter and health needs are secondary and palestinians leave those things to outside agencies - UN, EU or other NGOs. They save their energy and expertise for building a war machine in whatever fashion they can do so. Think of what a new palestinian state would look like. Armed to the teeth not with AK-47s and RPGs but with every state-of the-art weapons they can get their hands on. This is not a people but a gang.
Nahr al-Bared camp." Question: Anyone want to venture a guess what would happen had Israel done that? Hmmm...
Palestinians place the need for violence before the safety and security of their own civilains. If they have the ability to form armed groups that is their first priority. What 99.9% of the world think of as basic infrastructure necessities - school, shelter and health needs are secondary and palestinians leave those things to outside agencies - UN, EU or other NGOs. They save their energy and expertise for building a war machine in whatever fashion they can do so. Think of what a new palestinian state would look like. Armed to the teeth not with AK-47s and RPGs but with every state-of the-art weapons they can get their hands on. This is not a people but a gang.
Palestinians place the need for violence before the safety and security of their own civilains. If they have the ability to form armed groups that is their first priority. What 99.9% of the world think of as basic infrastructure necessities - school, shelter and health needs are secondary and palestinians leave those things to outside agencies - UN, EU or other NGOs. They save their energy and expertise for building a war machine in whatever fashion they can do so. Think of what a new palestinian state would look like. Armed to the teeth not with AK-47s and RPGs but with every state-of the-art weapons they can get their hands on. This is not a people but a gang.
read #18 comments - he said exactly what I was going to say - this shows the world hypocrisy and double standard - maybe we are right when we call people anti-semties when there is total silence when the LEB's to it to the PAL's but if he israeli's do it? what about clickfool/indrajaya? no response to your inncocent bystander brethen are being kill by your fellow brethen?
Lebanon as a country was largely established by the Maronites lobbying with France, starting with the decleration of Great Lebanon during general Gouraud who was in charge of the region following the first world war. At that time France was the colonial power in the region. It was the result of Maronite Patriarch Houwayek successful politics with the French. after a period of about 23 years, a concensus between moslems and christians in 1943 resulted in complete independence of Lebanon from France. At that time, there was a concern regarding the identity of the country that included moslems, who identify with their moslem arab brothers and christians who wanted an independent state, just like the Jews in Israel (If Israel was not established, the jews living in Palestine would have been called Arab Jews, just like the what some call the Maronites of Lebanon). To be an Arab is to identify with Islam first. Therefore most Maronites are proud of their heritage and do not care to give up
Where is all the press/left/pro-Palestinian hysteria???!!! Oh yes.. Israel is not involved.
Where's all the Palestinian human rights activists!? Come on British Academics?! Why are you silent????
It's attitudes like yours that gets young innocents sucked into the evil militias as pons to be used as cannon fodder. You think you know it all...GROW UP!
unfortunately in the Middle East every country needs a strong army until all "Militias" are totally done away with. Neither Lebanese nor Palestinian leaders have done that & so many innocents will be killed by madmen with guns. The Big 8 can only help if they go after the ARMS DEALERS they are the TRUE terrorists.
The silence from Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, BBC, UN Security Council, as well as every single Arab nation is deafening! Just goes to prove, that it's only news when it's Jews.
The silence from Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, BBC, UN Security Council, as well as every single Arab nation is deafening! Just goes to prove, that it's only news when it's Jews.
Jim I agree the Maronites are confused about their heritage/history and deffinitely need to wake up and stand for what they are, I assume Lebanese above all. There is nothing wrong about being proud about their Phoenician heritage, this is a historical fact, all Lebanese should be proud of it. The Maronite's attachement to the French culture hinders the development of their national pride and is frankly ridiculous. Finally, there is nothing wrong with embracing the Arab culture (a very rich one), keeping in mind that they have different historical and cultural origins than the Arabs.
react forcefully to this massacre!!! For starters, the UK will put in place an academic boicott!!!
Well said to you both but than why don't your government tell Hizbulla to join the Army and use Lebanese as their flag and no a yellow excuse of a washed down towel? You answer this and you know you have failed! Ben Gurion ordered all terrorist group and the Palmach and Hagana to join the IDF emidiatly in 1948. They were dismentaled straight away. With in that year the IDF was formed with one leader and one voice. Why can't Hizb be a joined? Why can't the Pales join?
They will finish up everyone who isn't going muslim within some time. You protected these haters, and you will pay the price. They - those who you protected - will make YOU - the apologists that is - pay the price. Wether or not you like it. They play by other rules. It will happen.
Hmm...apartment building hit which had Lebanese civilians...6 so far pulled out of rubble. Any minute now, just you wait, the BBC will begin exhorting the masses of liberal elites about this horror...OH WAIT...the Israelis didn't do it. STOP THE PRESSES....put the news on page 640...in 1 pt font.
Hey Wade, That is exactly right. The problem is not that people do not want to listen. The problem is that you guys, Maronites have no credibility left. You are politically confused and disoriented. You do not know who you are. French? Phoenicians? Lebs? Try this: Admit that you are Arabs, try to be Arabs, and improve from within. By the way, remember that while you are the minority, you cannot ignore the majority. This is what continues to devastate Lebanon. Wake up.
Georgey, are you one of those who revolted wearing your Rayban and jeans? and may be a Rolex?? Hey boy, you Maronites are the ones who invited the Syrians and later the Israeli's in. Grow up.
Is it genetic that Pals always make the wrong choices and let themselves be used? Now they are doing Al-Queda's and Syria's dirty work and killing their own standing and position in Lebanon. My goodness, they are a hopeless bunch of loosers, seemingly not able to stand up for their own interests and dignity but rather be used by others, no matter what the consequences are for them.
Julia, If my political geography is still applicable, it is the Christian Maronites who are always confused about their political orientation, a factor that was and will continue to destablize Lebanon. You problem is simple, but devastating to Lebanon. You have loyalty to your religion, not your country. Furthermore, You never want to admit that you are Arabs, living on an Arab State. I often laugh when I hear your country men and women boasting about being Phoenicians and French. Now you talk about your army. What army? An army that is known to have and operate the largest fleet of Grand Cherokees to shuttle the wives and girl friends of your officers, and funded by my tax money.
Christians will be forced out of Lebanon by terror just like in Iraq. Then you will have a terror crescent from Iran to Lebanon which will then threaten Turkey and then Europe.
I usally don't like to identify myself with a religion but I will make an exception this time.
Why is it that the Lebanese are always in the middle of things? The rest of the Middle East can be boring and snoring and there's always something doing there in Beirut.
for Hezbollah during the war last sumer
Julia, Don't waste anymore your energy. I already tried, they simply don't understand or don't bother to learn to understand...
Well said Julia I agree with you 100% Syria will get hers what goes around comes around Lebanon must stay unified against all who try to destroy your unity.
AKiva , the Christians do NOT HAVE A MILITIA because we agreed unde Taef agreement in 1990 that ALL MILICIAS should disarm to end the civil war! and on top of that we are not going to fall under Bachar assad intimidation and carry weapons against his little thungs...we are gona let the Lebanese army take care of this matter since there are ALL RELIGIONS GATHERED in Our ARMY. we don not want more aggravation within the country or else it will be like giving Lebanon on a platter to Syria cause it's exactly what they are looking for to split us up so we can be weakened. we did this in 1975 and now NO MORE. we shall all fight this war on terror imposed by Syria on us AS ONE!!! and SYRIA WILL PAY FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF HARIRI NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY TRY TO DESTROY US....THE TIME WILL COME THEY SHALL PAY ONCE AND FOR ALL FOR ALL THEIR UNHUMAN ACTS ON OUR COUNTRY
"The Syrian regime has promised to turn Lebanon into hell, anti-Syrian Christian lawmaker Elias Atallah," said. When will christian elements of the situation wake up? Islamists find them only a road-bump on the way to world jihad!