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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Islamists killed in Lebanon clash | Islamists killed in Lebanon clash |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Twenty Islamist militants have been killed by Lebanese government troops as they tried to flee a besieged refugee camp, army officials say. | Twenty Islamist militants have been killed by Lebanese government troops as they tried to flee a besieged refugee camp, army officials say. |
| Two soldiers were also killed in the clash near the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in northern Lebanon. | Two soldiers were also killed in the clash near the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared in northern Lebanon. |
| The camp has seen fierce clashes between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants since May. | The camp has seen fierce clashes between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants since May. |
| Thousands of refugees have fled the violence, which has seen more than 300 people killed, including civilians. | Thousands of refugees have fled the violence, which has seen more than 300 people killed, including civilians. |
| Militants seized | Militants seized |
| "The militants of Fatah al-Islam attacked army positions in a desperate attempt to flee Nahr al-Bared camp," the army said in a statement. | |
| FATAH AL-ISLAM Split from Palestinian group Fatah al-Intifada in late 2006In May, had 150-200 armed men in Nahr al-Bared campDenies al-Qaeda links but says it endorses its ideasHas links with Syrian intelligence, Lebanon saysLeader is Shaker al-Abssi Profile: Fatah al-Islam | FATAH AL-ISLAM Split from Palestinian group Fatah al-Intifada in late 2006In May, had 150-200 armed men in Nahr al-Bared campDenies al-Qaeda links but says it endorses its ideasHas links with Syrian intelligence, Lebanon saysLeader is Shaker al-Abssi Profile: Fatah al-Islam |
| The militants reportedly attacked at least two checkpoints outside the camp. | |
| A number of militants were captured during the battle, army officials said. It was not immediately known if any of the militants had managed to escape. | |
| The army has cordoned off the area and blocked the main road leading to Syria. Helicopters have been called in to search the area. | |
| Last week Lebanese security officials said they believed that only about 30 Fatah al-Islam fighters remained in the camp, though other reports put the number slightly higher. | Last week Lebanese security officials said they believed that only about 30 Fatah al-Islam fighters remained in the camp, though other reports put the number slightly higher. |
| Much of the camp, which was once home to about 30,000 people, has been reduced to rubble by shelling from artillery and tanks during the fighting. | Much of the camp, which was once home to about 30,000 people, has been reduced to rubble by shelling from artillery and tanks during the fighting. |
| The clashes have seen Lebanon's worst internal violence since the end of the civil war in 1990. | The clashes have seen Lebanon's worst internal violence since the end of the civil war in 1990. |
| Fatah al-Islam, which has been linked to al-Qaeda, emerged in 2006 when it split from Fatah al-Intifada (Fatah Uprising), a Syrian-backed Palestinian group based in Lebanon. | Fatah al-Islam, which has been linked to al-Qaeda, emerged in 2006 when it split from Fatah al-Intifada (Fatah Uprising), a Syrian-backed Palestinian group based in Lebanon. |
| The Lebanese government has also linked Fatah al-Islam to the Syrian intelligence services. Officials in Damascus and Fatah al-Islam deny the connection. | The Lebanese government has also linked Fatah al-Islam to the Syrian intelligence services. Officials in Damascus and Fatah al-Islam deny the connection. |