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New vow to spread Lebanon battle | New vow to spread Lebanon battle |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A commander of the Palestinian militant group battling Lebanese troops from a northern refugee camp has reportedly pledged to escalate the conflict. | A commander of the Palestinian militant group battling Lebanese troops from a northern refugee camp has reportedly pledged to escalate the conflict. |
Abu Hureira, a senior Fatah al-Islam figure, told Associated Press his group was ready to take up arms in Lebanon's largest refugee camp, near Sidon. | Abu Hureira, a senior Fatah al-Islam figure, told Associated Press his group was ready to take up arms in Lebanon's largest refugee camp, near Sidon. |
Earlier, two Lebanese soldiers were killed in that camp, Ain al-Hilweh, in fighting with another militant group. | Earlier, two Lebanese soldiers were killed in that camp, Ain al-Hilweh, in fighting with another militant group. |
Separately, a bomb exploded on a bus in Beirut, injuring seven people. | |
More than 100 civilians, militants and troops have died in the fighting at the two Palestinian refugee camps in the past two weeks. | |
Jihadi struggle | Jihadi struggle |
The fighting in Ain al-Hilweh involved militants from the Jund al-Sham group, a Palestinian splinter group similar to Fatah al-Islam. | The fighting in Ain al-Hilweh involved militants from the Jund al-Sham group, a Palestinian splinter group similar to Fatah al-Islam. |
We will start to see an expansion, and there will be a similar military situation there [in Ain el-Hilweh] Abu Hureira Profile: Jund al-Sham | We will start to see an expansion, and there will be a similar military situation there [in Ain el-Hilweh] Abu Hureira Profile: Jund al-Sham |
The two groups reportedly have family ties and share a radical Islamist ideology. | The two groups reportedly have family ties and share a radical Islamist ideology. |
However, Abu Hureira told AP that the deaths in Ain al-Hilweh were not linked to Fatah al-Islam's battle in the Nahr al-Bared camp, close to Tripoli in Lebanon's far north. | However, Abu Hureira told AP that the deaths in Ain al-Hilweh were not linked to Fatah al-Islam's battle in the Nahr al-Bared camp, close to Tripoli in Lebanon's far north. |
Jund al-Sham was "not fighting on our behalf", he said, but would not say how many members of Fatah al-Islam were based in Ain al-Hilweh. | Jund al-Sham was "not fighting on our behalf", he said, but would not say how many members of Fatah al-Islam were based in Ain al-Hilweh. |
"Soon there will be an official statement in the name of Fatah al-Islam partisans, and we will start to see an expansion, and there will be a similar military situation there [in Ain el-Hilweh]," he said. | "Soon there will be an official statement in the name of Fatah al-Islam partisans, and we will start to see an expansion, and there will be a similar military situation there [in Ain el-Hilweh]," he said. |
Beirut bomb | |
It seems likely that neither group regards what happens in Lebanon as their priority, says the BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy. | It seems likely that neither group regards what happens in Lebanon as their priority, says the BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy. |
Like jihadi groups elsewhere, he says, they see themselves as part of the much bigger battle between Islam and the West. | Like jihadi groups elsewhere, he says, they see themselves as part of the much bigger battle between Islam and the West. |
A bomb exploded on an empty bus in a Christian district of the capital Beirut, injuring seven passers-by, security officials said. | |
Lebanese television showed pictures of the blackened shell of the bus next to damaged cars and shop fronts. | |
There has been a series of bomb attacks in and around Beirut since fighting began at the Nahr al-Bared camp on 20 May. | |
'No negotiation' | 'No negotiation' |
In addition to the two dead in the Ain al-Hilweh fighting, at least five troops were reported wounded. There has been no word on militant casualties. | |
Violence subsided after the initial exchange of fire close to the camp's entrance. One report said Palestinian factions held emergency talks with the Lebanese army to calm tensions. | Violence subsided after the initial exchange of fire close to the camp's entrance. One report said Palestinian factions held emergency talks with the Lebanese army to calm tensions. |
The Lebanese army has already sent reinforcements to the edge of the camp. | The Lebanese army has already sent reinforcements to the edge of the camp. |
In Nahr al-Bared, the army has been shelling militant positions deep within the besieged camp to try to force the militants to surrender. | In Nahr al-Bared, the army has been shelling militant positions deep within the besieged camp to try to force the militants to surrender. |
Clashes there continued overnight on Sunday, but subsided somewhat during Monday, reports said. | Clashes there continued overnight on Sunday, but subsided somewhat during Monday, reports said. |
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has described Fatah al-Islam as a "terrorist gang" and said there would be no negotiations. A militant spokesman said they would fight to "the last drop of blood". | Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has described Fatah al-Islam as a "terrorist gang" and said there would be no negotiations. A militant spokesman said they would fight to "the last drop of blood". |
The army has said it has not entered the Nahr al-Bared camp. | The army has said it has not entered the Nahr al-Bared camp. |
There is a longstanding convention that the army does not enter Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps, leaving security inside to militant groups. | There is a longstanding convention that the army does not enter Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps, leaving security inside to militant groups. |
Civilians in the camp have no access to power or medical help. | Civilians in the camp have no access to power or medical help. |
Tens of thousands are thought to have fled the camp since fighting broke out, but thousands reportedly remain. | |
Aid agencies have called for a ceasefire to allow more civilians to leave. | Aid agencies have called for a ceasefire to allow more civilians to leave. |
But correspondents say the government and army appear in no mood to end the siege now. | But correspondents say the government and army appear in no mood to end the siege now. |
The violence is the worst internal fighting Lebanon has seen since the end of its civil war 17 years ago. | The violence is the worst internal fighting Lebanon has seen since the end of its civil war 17 years ago. |
Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled or were forced to leave their homes when Israel was created in 1948. | Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled or were forced to leave their homes when Israel was created in 1948. |