LEBANON: Lebanon's southern Ain el-Hilweh camp on alert following clashes in the north

Record ID: 345528

  • Title: LEBANON: Lebanon's southern Ain el-Hilweh camp on alert following clashes in the north
  • Date: 20th May 2007
  • Summary: (BN10) AIN EL-HILWEH, LEBANON (MAY 20, 2007) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE OF AIN EL-HILWEH REFUGEE CAMP IN SOUTH VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN MILITANTS ON ALERT INSIDE CAMP MILITANTS WALKING IN STREETS
  • Embargoed: 4th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVAF441RFHJQ293N69B530LVRL6U
  • Story Text: Palestinian factions inside Lebanon's most populous refugee camp were on high alert on Sunday (May 20) after deadly clashes in a northern camp between Lebanese army and Al-Qaeda linked Fatah al-Islam militants.
    "Since the early morning, we took all the necessary precautions in collaboration with the Lebanese army on the entrances of the camp to prevent any attempt to destabilise security in the camp or harm the security forces or Lebanese army or the neighbourhood," said Khaled Aref, spokesman for Fatah, the biggest group in the camp which has frequently clashed with Islamist militants inside.
    Lebanese troops battled al Qaeda-linked militants in northern Lebanon earlier in the day and at least 19 people were killed, 11 of them soldiers, security and medical sources said.
    The soldiers were killed at Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli and in an attack on an army patrol in al-Qalamoun, just south of the city, a security source said.
    Four Fatah al-Islam fighters were killed in the camp, which is home to 40,000 Palestinian refugees. Medical sources in the camp said four civilians, including two children, had also been killed and 45 wounded.
    Around 390,000 Palestinians live in 12 impoverished refugee camps across Lebanon.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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