More War In Lebanon
Yet another front group for Syria appears to be trying to start a civil war in Lebanon. For the third straight day battles are raging between a Palestinian group that has ties to both al Qaeda and Syrian intelligence and Lebanese army units.
Black plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as troops fired tank shells and artillery at positions of Al-Qaeda inspired militants from Fatah al-Islam in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr Al-Bared in northern Lebanon.
It is the bloodiest internal feuding in Lebanon since the 1975-1990 civil war and has triggered deep concerns about the security of a country still battling deep sectarian and political tensions.
The resumption of fighting shattered an overnight lull and followed indirect negotiations to try to hammer out a ceasefire amid mounting fears of a humanitarian crisis for people trapped inside Nahr al-Bared.
Fatah Al-Islam remained defiant, with spokesman Abu Salim Taha insisting in a telephone call with AFP that "if the army continues its attacks, our fighters are ready to fight until the last drop of blood."
And the group, which on Monday warned it would take its fight beyond Nahr al-Bared and the nearby Mediterranean port city of Tripoli, also claimed it was behind two bomb attacks in Beirut over the past two nights.
In the face of the continuing battles, the Lebanese government said at meeting late on Monday it would crush the "terrorist phenomenon" of Fatah Al-Islam with all its might.
"(The government) is determined to respond to any aggression and put a final end to this dangerous phenomenon… which has threatened to widen the scope of the aggression," said Information Minister Ghazi Aridi.
This must be the new route Syria is trying since Hezbollah hasn't been successful in destroying the Lebanese government.
War, World news | Gaius Tuesday, 22 May , 2007
By Jeha, Tuesday, 22 May , 2007 @ 7:55 am
Hezbo’ has not been successful YET in destroying the government. I fear they are trying our a “death by thousand cuts” on us, trying to bring this government and country down one little escalation at a time.
What they fail to realize is that the Islamic anger they though to awaken has risen against them and Hezbo’, and find willing allies among most Christians.
By Purple Avenger, Tuesday, 22 May , 2007 @ 5:02 pm
All part of Syria’s new peace initiative. I’m sure they’ll be quite helpful settling down Iraq.
By Chris, Wednesday, 23 May , 2007 @ 5:20 am
Were those natural plumes of smoke, or AP plumes?