Lebanese troops battle militants
Last Updated: Sunday, 20 May 2007, 11:55 GMT 12:55 UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6673639.stm Fatah al-Islam fighters in Nahr el-Bared (file photo) Fatah al-Islam militants have been accused of links to al-Qaeda Eleven Lebanese soldiers have been killed in clashes with al-Qaeda-linked militants around a Palestinian refugee camp in Tripoli, officials say. Fighting erupted after security forces raided homes in nearby Tripoli to arrest suspects in a bank robbery. Militants said to belong to the Fatah Islam group then attacked army posts at the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp. Four militants were killed in the clashes and there are reports of injured civilians inside the camp. Hours after violence erupted, Syria temporarily closed two border crossings with northern Lebanon because of security concerns. Camp under scrutiny Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom who fled their homes when Israel was created in 1948. The problem began with repeated arrests of our brothers in Tripoli. We've always defended Sunnis in Lebanon Abu Salim Fatah Islam spokesman The Nahr el-Bared camp has been under scrutiny since two bus bombings in a Christian area of Beirut in February, which were blamed on Fatah Islam militants based in the camp. Some 30,000 displaced Palestinians live at the camp, which the military is banned from entering under a 38-year-old deal. Fighting began early on Sunday after a police raid on a Tripoli house apparently being used by militants from Fatah Islam. The Islamist group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda and Lebanese officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence. Map The men reportedly resisted arrest and the violence spread to neighbouring streets. Militants then attacked a Lebanese military post at the gate of the camp, seizing several vehicles. The military sent replacements, which returned fire at alleged Fatah Islam positions. The Lebanese army said that it was now trying to retake positions seized by the militants. There was more fighting at a house in a nearby residential district, where militants were said to have holed up. A Fatah Islam spokesman, Abu Salim, told Al-Jazeera television that the group was only defending itself. "The problem began with repeated arrests of our brothers in Tripoli. We've always defended Sunnis in Lebanon," he said. "This was only the latest incident, but it led to a fierce clash and we went to defend them." Residents said that at least 12 civilians were injured inside the camp, the Associated Press news agency said, and a Lebanese army spokesman said that another 19 soldiers were injured. The BBC's Jim Muir reports from Beirut that some link the eruption in violence to moves at the UN Security Council to set up an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rafik Hariri, two years ago. Syria is against the tribunal, and some Lebanese government sources have accused Damascus of trying to stir up trouble to head it off. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
