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Lebanon fighting enters third day Lebanon fighting enters third day
(40 minutes later)
Fighting between troops and Islamic militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon has continued into a third day, despite some talk of a ceasefire. Fighting has resumed between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants taking refuge in a Palestinian refugee camp, despite talk of a ceasefire.
Military action resumed after a few hours' lull at the start of the night. Troops began shelling the Nahr al-Bared camp, near the northern city of Tripoli, at dawn. The militants responded with gun and mortar fire.
Dozens of people including civilians have died during the clashes, at the Nahr al-Bared camp outside Tripoli. Humanitarian groups have called for a truce to let casualties out of the camp and allow humanitarian supplies in.
The Red Cross has asked for a truce to let casualties out of the camp, home to some 40,000 Palestinian refugees, and allow humanitarian supplies in. During the night a bomb exploded in Beirut, injuring at least six people.
Witnesses were quoted as saying there were dead and wounded on the streets after the latest barrage. The second attack in less than two days targeted a shopping area in the mainly Sunni Muslim area of Verdun.
The Lebanese army has been pounding the militants since dawn. On Sunday a 63-year-old woman was killed by a blast in a Christian district of Beirut.
But it has vowed to stop shelling the Fatah al-Islam group, suspected of links to al-Qaeda and Syria, if the militants stop firing. The BBC's Jon Leyne says it is looking more and more as if such attacks are a concerted attempt to destabilise Lebanon.
The group has threatened to widen its campaign unless the Lebanese army stops the shelling. 'Last drop of blood'
Power cut After a few hours' lull at the start of the night, fighting resumed for a third day between Lebanese troops and members of the Fatah al-Islam group taking refuge in the camp.
Red Cross officials said aid agencies needed to be allowed to reach those worst affected by the violence.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says that in addition to the desperate need for medical relief within the camp, electricity supplies have been cut and there is limited water.
FATAH AL-ISLAM Split from Palestinian group Fatah al-Intifada in late 2006Believed to have 150-200 armed men, based in Nahr al-Bared campDenies al-Qaeda links but says it endorses its ideasHas links with Syrian intelligence, Lebanon saysLeader is Shaker al-Abssi In pictures: Lebanon fighting Profile: Fatah al-Islam Media see Syrian handFATAH AL-ISLAM Split from Palestinian group Fatah al-Intifada in late 2006Believed to have 150-200 armed men, based in Nahr al-Bared campDenies al-Qaeda links but says it endorses its ideasHas links with Syrian intelligence, Lebanon saysLeader is Shaker al-Abssi In pictures: Lebanon fighting Profile: Fatah al-Islam Media see Syrian hand
More than 50 people have been killed in the clashes, which began on Sunday.
Doctors in the camp, which houses some 40,000 Palestinian refugees, have called for a ceasefire because of the dead and wounded lying on the streets.
In addition to the need for medical relief within the camp, electricity supplies have been cut and there is limited water.
A planned two-hour ceasefire on Monday ended after just a few minutes, with clashes resuming before United Nations and Red Cross vehicles could enter the camp.A planned two-hour ceasefire on Monday ended after just a few minutes, with clashes resuming before United Nations and Red Cross vehicles could enter the camp.
Medical workers have only been able to evacuate 16 of the many injured civilians and sick trapped inside the camp. The Lebanese army has vowed to stop shelling if militants stop firing.
US President George W Bush told Reuters that the Islamists needed to be stopped, "Extremists that are trying to topple that young democracy need to be reined in," he said. The group, which is suspected of having links with al-Qaeda, has in turn threatened to widen its campaign unless the bombardment ends.
"If the army continues its attacks, our fighters are ready to fight until the last drop of blood," a spokesman for Fatah al-Islam told AFP news agency.
Internal conflict
Overnight, US President George W Bush said the Islamists needed to be stopped.
"Extremists that are trying to topple that young democracy need to be reined in," he said.
Eyewitness: Tripoli fighting Send us your comments
He added that he was not going to accuse Syria of being involved in this particular conflict until he had better information.He added that he was not going to accuse Syria of being involved in this particular conflict until he had better information.
Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, denied his country had any link to the group, and said some of them had been in jail in Syria for their support for al-Qaeda.Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, denied his country had any link to the group, and said some of them had been in jail in Syria for their support for al-Qaeda.
In a separate incident on Monday, a bomb exploded in an upmarket area of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, injuring at least six people. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, will meet Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Beirut later on Tuesday to discuss the fighting - the bloodiest internal conflict in Lebanon since the civil war ended 17 years ago.
Rival theories The clashes erupted when security forces tried to arrest suspects in a bank robbery. Militants from Fatah al-Islam, a radical Palestinian splinter group, then attacked army posts at the entrances to the camp.
The fighting, which began on Monday, is the bloodiest internal conflict in Lebanon since the civil war ended 17 years ago.
Eyewitness: Tripoli fighting Send us your comments
On Sunday, 50 people were killed at the camp, which houses about 40,000 Palestinian refugees.
The clashes erupted when security forces tried to arrest suspects in a bank robbery. Militants from Fatah al-Islam then attacked army posts at the entrances to the camp.
The Lebanese army regained control of the camp's perimeter but clashes have continued.
Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled or left their homes when Israel was created in 1948.Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled or left their homes when Israel was created in 1948.
Fatah al-Islam is a radical Palestinian splinter group alleged to have links with al-Qaeda. Lebanese officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence. Other Palestinian groups have distanced themselves from Fatah al-Islam. Other Palestinian groups in Lebanon have distanced themselves from Fatah al-Islam.
There are rival theories about what lies behind the latest violence, says the BBC's Roger Hardy.
Government ministers suspect Syria is behind the violence, with the aim of destabilising the country. Others see a quite separate radical Islamist agenda, our correspondent says.
Are you in the Tripoli area? Have you been caught up in the fighting? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below:Are you in the Tripoli area? Have you been caught up in the fighting? If you have any information you would like to share with the BBC you can do so using the form below:
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