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Thousands flee Lebanon violence Thousands flee Lebanon violence
(about 1 hour later)
Thousands of people have been fleeing from a refugee camp in northern Lebanon after three days of heavy fighting between troops and Islamist militants. Thousands of people have used a night-time lull in fighting between troops and Islamist militants to flee a refugee camp in northern Lebanon.
Palestinian residents of the Nahr al-Bared camp were trapped as troops exchanged fire with Fatah al-Islam fighters holed up in the camp. Palestinians in Nahr al-Bared had been trapped for three days as Lebanese army troops exchanged fire with Fatah al-Islam fighters holed up in the camp.
Witnesses said many took advantage of a lull in the fighting to leave. At least 50 soldiers and militants have died. The civilian toll is unknown.
UN head of humanitarian affairs John Holmes appealed to the warring sides to allow aid supplies into the camp.UN head of humanitarian affairs John Holmes appealed to the warring sides to allow aid supplies into the camp.
He said it was outrageous that a relief convoy had been forced to turn back after coming under fire on Tuesday. He said it was outrageous that a relief convoy which had entered the camp on Tuesday had been forced to turn back after shells exploded near its vehicles.
There was a reduction in the fighting, although sporadic clashes were reported. 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 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6681317.stm">In pictures: Lebanon clashes class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6676369.stm">Profile: Fatah al-Islam class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6679935.stm">Media: Pressure on Lebanon The BBC's Jim Muir in Lebanon says that overnight some sporadic fighting was reported, with only occasional gunfire and occasional shelling being heard on Wednesday morning.
UN aid convoys entered the camp to deliver food and water, but one was forced to leave after shells exploded near its vehicles. Many of the embattled camp's thousands of inhabitants took the chance to get out, heading for another camp nearby or for the neighbouring city of Tripoli.
'No power, no food' They crammed into all available vehicles, some even taking up seats in the boot, waving white flags as they left.
Witnesses said that as the fighting lessened, a mass exodus began. Schools are being prepared to deal with the influx of refugees, our correspondent says.
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 class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/6681317.stm">In pictures: Lebanon clashes class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6676369.stm">Profile: Fatah al-Islam class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6679935.stm">Media: Pressure on Lebanon 'People dying'
"Thousands of refugees - men, women and children - started fleeing on foot or by car from Nahr al-Bared camp from early evening to take shelter in the nearby Beddawi camp," Hajj Rifaat, a camp official, told the news agency AFP.
Vehicles crammed with up to 10 people were flying white flags as they left, Reuters news agency said.
Ashraf Abu Khorj, who lives inside the camp, told the BBC conditions there were dire.Ashraf Abu Khorj, who lives inside the camp, told the BBC conditions there were dire.
"Really really, the situation is so bad - no power, no food, no water," he said. "There is no hospital inside the camp. There are a lot of people injured, there are a lot of people dying.""Really really, the situation is so bad - no power, no food, no water," he said. "There is no hospital inside the camp. There are a lot of people injured, there are a lot of people dying."
Appeal for calm
The fighting is the bloodiest internal conflict in Lebanon since the civil war ended 17 years ago.The fighting is the bloodiest internal conflict in Lebanon since the civil war ended 17 years ago.
Dozens of soldiers, militants and civilians have been killed in the clashes, which began on Sunday. class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6681289.stm">Eyewitness: Tripoli fighting class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6356&edition=1">Send us your comments It began on Sunday after security forces raided a building in Tripoli to arrest suspects in a bank robbery. Fatah al-Islam militants then attacked army posts at the entrances to the camp.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6681289.stm">Eyewitness: Tripoli fighting class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6356&edition=1">Send us your comments A large force of Lebanese troops hit back, bombarding the camp and storming a building on the outskirts of Tripoli.
The Lebanese government has pledged to root out the militants, who it says are being backed by Syria. The Nahr al-Bared camp - which, under a 38-year-old deal, the military cannot enter - has been under scrutiny since two bus bombings in a Christian area of Beirut in February, blamed on al-Fatah Islam militants based in the camp.
On Monday evening, the cabinet authorised the army to step up its efforts and "end the terrorist phenomenon that is alien to the values and nature of the Palestinian people". Fatah al-Islam is a radical Palestinian splinter group alleged to have links with al-Qaeda. Lebanese officials also believe it is backed by Syria.
The US State Department, meanwhile, said it was considering an urgent request from the Lebanese government for more military aid to help battle the militants. Other Palestinian groups have distanced themselves from Fatah al-Islam, which emerged last year after splitting from a Syrian-backed Palestinian splinter group, our correspondent says.
US assistance
On Monday evening, the Lebanese cabinet authorised the army to step up its efforts and "end the terrorist phenomenon that is alien to the values and nature of the Palestinian people".
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.
The US state department, meanwhile, said it was considering an urgent request from the Lebanese government for more military aid to help battle the militants.
And in Beirut, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana met Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to discuss the fighting, appealing for calm and calling on the military to respect the safety of civilians.And in Beirut, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana met Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to discuss the fighting, appealing for calm and calling on the military to respect the safety of civilians.
Sunday's 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.
Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, many of whom fled or left their homes when Israel was created in 1948.