LEBANON: Fighting continues between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants in a Palestinian refugee camp

Record ID: 374833

  • Title: LEBANON: Fighting continues between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants in a Palestinian refugee camp
  • Date: 15th July 2007
  • Summary: GROUP OF FATAH GUNMEN
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lebanon
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVABSYZM7FR51W7SO7AKWXQ9MPWH
  • Story Text: Lebanese troops continued to battle with al Qaeda-inspired militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon on Sunday (July 15) while an Islamist activist was gunned down in the south.
    Security sources said unknown gunmen shot dead Dharrar Rifai at Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in south Lebanon. Rifai was a member of the now defunct Jund al-Sham group.
    Jund al-Sham was dissolved last month after clashes with the Lebanese army. Two groups dominate Ain al-Hilweh, Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp: Fatah and al Qaeda-linked Usbat al-Ansar.
    "Unfortunately this morning this incident took place. Dharrar Rifai is one of those who killed two Fatah members a couple of months ago and today gunmen opened fire on him and killed him at the camp. We are in touch with our contacts to prevent any retaliations and to stop any tension from escalating," said the head of Fatah Faction at Ain al Hilweh camp, Munir Maqdah.
    Meanwhile in the north, Lebanese troops advanced for the first time into a Palestinian refugee camp where they have been battling al Qaeda inspired militants, security sources and witnesses said.
    Lebanese and army flags were seen flying over two or three devastated buildings inside Nahr al-Bared as the battle for the north Lebanon camp between the military and Fatah al-Islam fighters entered its ninth week.
    The advance marked a major step for the army in the battle to crush the militants and a rare venture by troops into a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon in four decades.
    At least 219 people, including 98 soldiers, have been killed since the fighting began on May 20, making it Lebanon's worst internal violence since the 1975-1990 civil war.
    Soldiers exchanged automatic rifle fire and grenades with militants at building and alleyways leading to the centre of Nahr al-Bared while army artillery and tank pounded other areas. Fatah al-Islam fighters hit back, firing a dozen Katyusha rockets at surrounding Lebanese villages. Plumes of smoke filled the skyline from explosions.
    The sources said troops pulled out alive two commandos who had been buried under the rubble of a booby-trapped building that blew up on Saturday.
    The military has increased its bombardment of the besieged camp since Thursday, anxious not to get sucked into a war of attrition with the well-trained and well-armed militants.
    But the militants have responded fiercely, killing 11 soldiers and wounding 53.
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