2007 Lebanon conflict: Difference between revisions
m →Reactions: formatting |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
|notes=Casualties sources: <ref name="Jazeera_20070520">Al-Jazeera (May 20, 2007). [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0721001E-75E7-425D-8032-0B573DE54BEF.htm "Dozens die in Lebanon camp clashes"]. Retrieved May 20, 2007.</ref><ref>Al-Jazeera (May 21, 2007) [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B4BA3CDF-7C10-44F1-8C16-9C5BF95A8724.htm ''Fighting continues in Lebanon camp'']. Retrieved May 21 2007.</ref> |
|notes=Casualties sources: <ref name="Jazeera_20070520">Al-Jazeera (May 20, 2007). [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0721001E-75E7-425D-8032-0B573DE54BEF.htm "Dozens die in Lebanon camp clashes"]. Retrieved May 20, 2007.</ref><ref>Al-Jazeera (May 21, 2007) [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B4BA3CDF-7C10-44F1-8C16-9C5BF95A8724.htm ''Fighting continues in Lebanon camp'']. Retrieved May 21 2007.</ref> |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''2007 North Lebanon conflict''' began when fighting broke out between [[Fatah al-Islam]], a [[Palestinian]] militant organization, and the [[Lebanese Armed Forces]] on [[May 20]], [[2007]] in [[Nahr al-Bared]], a refugee camp near [[Tripoli, Lebanon]]. It is the worst internal fighting since [[Lebanon]]'s [[1975]]-[[1990]] [[Lebanese Civil War|civil war]]. |
The '''2007 North Lebanon conflict''' began when fighting broke out between [[Fatah al-Islam]], a [[Palestinian]] militant organization, and the [[Lebanese Armed Forces]] on [[May 20]], [[2007]] in [[Nahr al-Bared]], a refugee camp near [[Tripoli, Lebanon]]. It is the worst internal fighting since [[Lebanon]]'s [[1975]]-[[1990]] [[Lebanese Civil War|civil war]]. |
||
==Background== |
==Background== |
||
Revision as of 21:42, 21 May 2007
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
| 2007 North Lebanon conflict | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Locations of the fighting | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Lebanese Armed Forces |
 Fatah al-Islam | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Michel Sulaiman | Shakir al-Abssi | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000 | ~200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| ~ 27 killed, 27 wounded | ~ 20 killed, 4 captured | ||||||
|
Civilian casualties: ~ 24 killed | |||||||
| Casualties sources: [1][2] | |||||||
The 2007 North Lebanon conflict began when fighting broke out between Fatah al-Islam, a Palestinian militant organization, and the Lebanese Armed Forces on May 20, 2007 in Nahr al-Bared, a refugee camp near Tripoli, Lebanon. It is the worst internal fighting since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.
Background
Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, including many who left the British Mandate of Palestine upon the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. The Nahr al-Bared camp has been under scrutiny since two bus bombings in a predominantly Christian village, Ain Alak, near Bikfaya, in February which were blamed on Fatah al-Islam militants based in the camp.
About 30,000 displaced Palestinians live in the camp, which the military is banned from entering under a 38-year-old deal.
The Islamist group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda. Lebanese government officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence.[3]
Fighting
Start of the fighting on May 20, 2007: Tripoli and Nahr al-Bared
Fighting began early on Sunday after a police raid on a house in Tripoli which was apparently being used by militants from Fatah al-Islam. The militant group subsequently began shooting at the Lebanese security forces who returned fire, triggering clashes in the vicinity of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. The men reportedly resisted arrest and the violence spread to neighbouring streets. The police and the army had conducted the raid after allegations that Fatah al-Islam members tried to rob a bank on Sunday and "take control of several security strongholds in the North" according to Ahmad Fatfat, Lebanese Minister of Youth and Sports in Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's cabinet.[1] Militants then attacked a Lebanese military post at the gate of the camp, seizing several vehicles. The Lebanese military sent reinforcements, including tanks, which returned fire at Fatah al-Islam positions.
May 21, 2007: Nahr al-Bared under siege
On May 21, 2007 fighting renewed after a short-lived truce earlier in the day was declared in order to transport the dead and injured out of the camp in ambulances. According to the Lebanese news channel NewTV, allegations arose that Fatah al-Islam militiamen had been shooting at ambulances entering and exiting the camps. The Lebanese Army started shelling the Nahr al-Bared camp at what it believed to be Fatah al-Islam positions; many civilians were killed.[1][3]
U.N. Relief and Works Agency officials said that U.N. staffers were among the wounded. Aid agencies were feeling the pressure and were unable to properly provide medical services to the injured and count all the casualties. Agencies attempted to get a cease-fire in place in order to get food and medical supplies delivered to the refugee camp.
Ceasefire
Reuters reports that a ceasefire has been reached. They state that a Lebanese representative for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed this truce.[4]
Bombings in Beirut
Shortly after midnight on May 21, a woman was killed in a bomb blast near a shopping mall in Beirut's largely Christian eastern district of Ashrafieh. At least 10 people were hurt in the blast. [2]
On the same day, at approximately 11 PM local time in Beirut, a second large explosion was heard in the mainly Sunni district of Verdun, located in a shopping area.[3][4] Several people were wounded and the neighbouring buildings were severely damaged.
See also
Reactions
- Fouad Siniora, Lebanon's prime minister, accused Fatah al-Islam of trying to destabilise the country.[1]
- A Fatah al-Islam spokesman, Abu Salim, told Al-Jazeera television that the group was only defending itself.
- Minutes after violence erupted, Syria temporarily closed two border crossings with northern Lebanon because of security concerns.[3]
- Lebanese Interior Minister Hasan al-Sabaa described Fatah al-Islam as "part of the Syrian intelligence-security apparatus."
- Lebanon's national police commander, Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, dismissed any purported al-Qaeda connection, saying Fatah al-Islam was controlled by Damascus.
- Christian leader Samir Geagea said that Fatah al-Islam is an offshoot of Syrian intelligence and its terrorist activities must end.<ref> http://news.monstersandcritics.com/middleeast/news/article_1306923.php/Fighting_between_militants_Lebanese_army_leaves_42_dead__3rd_Roundup_ </>
- Nayla Mouawad, Lebanese social affairs minister, said the militants have "Syrian allegiance and only take orders from Syria."
- Syrian leaders deny fomenting violence in Lebanon.
- Fatah al-Islam's leader, Shakir al-Absi, told Al-Arabiya TV in June that his group had no connection to al-Qaeda or Syria. He said, his group seeks to reform Palestinian refugee camps in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia.
References
- ^ a b c Al-Jazeera (May 20, 2007). "Dozens die in Lebanon camp clashes". Retrieved May 20, 2007.
- ^ Al-Jazeera (May 21, 2007) Fighting continues in Lebanon camp. Retrieved May 21 2007.
- ^ a b c BBC News (May 20, 2007). "Lebanese troops battle militants". Retrieved May 20, 2007.
- ^ Reuters News Service (May 21, 2007). "Death Toll Mounts as Lebanon Troops pound Islamists". Retrieved May 21, 2007.