2007 Lebanon conflict

2007 North Lebanon conflict
Locations of the fighting
Date May 20, 2007 – present Location Nahr al-Bared and Tripoli, Lebanon Result Ongoing
Belligerents
Lebanese Armed Forces	Fatah al-Islam
Commanders and leaders
Michel Sulaiman	Shaker al-Abssi
Strength
~70,000 troops, ~1000 surrounding the camp	~500
Casualties and losses
34 killed, 55 wounded	29 killed, 7 captured; 60 killed (Lebanese claim) 10 killed (FaI claim) [1].
Civilian casualties: 22 killed
Casualties sources: [2]

The 2007 North Lebanon conflict began when fighting broke out between Fatah al-Islam, an Islamist militant organization, and the Lebanese Armed Forces on May 20, 2007 in Nahr al-Bared, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, Lebanon. It has been the most severe internal fighting since Lebanon's 1975–90 civil war. The conflict evolved mostly around the Siege of Nahr el-Bared.

Background

Nahr al-Bared refugee camp

Main article: Nahr al-Bared

Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, including many who fled, many at the urging of their leaders, and some who were expelled from Israel during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. While some refugees were naturalized and integrated into Lebanese society most were denied entrance into Lebanese or surrounding Arab societies, and were settled into camps.].

The residents of today's camps are descendants of these early Palestinian refugees. They are denied access to Israel or the Arab nations which refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the UN mandated creation of Israel.

The Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp is situated 16 km north of Tripoli near the coastal road and has been under scrutiny since February, when two buses were bombed in Ain Alak, a predominantly Christian village near Bikfaya. Fatah al-Islam militants based in the camp were blamed. About 30,000 displaced Palestinians live in the camp, which the military is banned from entering under a 1969 Arab accord.

Fatah al-Islam

Main article: Fatah al-Islam

The Islamist Fatah al-Islam group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda. Lebanese government officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence which they accused of trying to undermine the country's efforts in establishing an international tribunal to deal with the murderers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Fighting

May 20: Start of the fighting in 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. 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. At least 27 Lebanese soldiers were killed in the fighting, along with an undetermined number of civilians and militants.

May 21: Nahr al-Bared under siege

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 shot at ambulances entering and exiting the camp. The Lebanese Army began shelling Nahr al-Bared at what it believed were Fatah al-Islam positions; many civilians were killed.

U.N. Relief and Works Agency officials said that U.N. staffers were among the wounded. Aid agencies were unable to provide proper medical care to the injured and count all the casualties. They attempted to get a cease-fire in place in order to deliver food and medical supplies to the refugee camp.

May 22: The fighting continues at Nahr al-Bared, ceasefire

Despite talks of a cease-fire, Fatah al-Islam militants continued battling the Lebanese army at the outskirts of the refugee camp for a third day. Fighting resumed when Lebanese tanks and artillery began shelling the members of the radical Fatah al-Islam group taking refuge in the camp. By mid-morning the battle intensified with heavy exchanges of small arms and machine-gun fire. Conditions inside the overcrowded Nahr al-Bared camp became increasingly unbearable as the army continued pounding militant positions there. Doctors in the camp have pleaded for a ceasefire because of the dead and wounded lying on the streets. Electricity has been cut and there is a limited supply of water. Brig. Gen. Bilal Aslam said that "the Lebanese Army prevented supplies and aid from entering the camp." He also claimed militant fighters were stationed on the outskirts of the camp, but not in it.

The militant group said it would end confrontations with the Lebanese army starting 14.30 local time. A fragile truce let 10 people flee Nahr al-Bared. In Tripoli, one Fatah al-Islam militant blew himself up, injuring no one else after the building in which he was hiding was surrounded by Lebanese soldiers.

May 23: Thousands flee Nahr al-Bared

During a nighttime truce announced Tuesday, about 2,000 inhabitants of the Nahr al-Bared camp had been able to flee. Some refugees left on foot while others were in cars and vans. The Red Crescent helped the refugees relocate to the nearby Beddawi camp, where they spent the night at schools. Other refugees left for the nearby city of Tripoli. Reports suggest that snipers fired at the fleeing crowd of refugees as they left their homes. The truce seemed to have ended when a UN aid convoy was attacked later that night. "The humanitarian situation is very, very bad," said a spokeswoman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, "and deteriorating every minute. Inside the camp, there are no hospitals and only one health center," which was unable to stay open during the fighting.

May 24: Sporadic fighting resumes at the camp

The Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, vowed to "uproot" terrorism from his country in his address to the nation, blaming the Fatah al-Islam militants for using the Palestinian refugees as hostages in their goal of destabilizing Lebanon. The Prime Minister said that the government would not "surrender to terrorism" and would work to eradicate it. Siniora also stressed that the target of military operations are the militants and not the Palestinian refugees in the camp. Following the speech, renewed fighting erupted between the militants and the Lebanese army at the entrance of the Nahr al-Bared camp. The Lebanese military shot and sank two inflatable boats carrying militants from the camp. But, the BBC reported that Thursday's gunfire exchanges were sporadic and that there was no sign of the heavy shelling seen before. But government threats of harsh action against the militants has raised fears that the Lebanese army could begin an all-out assault on the camp at any time, raising further concerns for the humanitarian situation of those civilians still inside. [3]

May 25-26: Military aid shipments to Lebanon

Five military transport planes carrying military aid for the Lebanese army from the United States and its Arab allies arrived at Beirut airport. One plane was from the U.S. Air Force, two from the United Arab Emirates Air Force and two from the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The planes, which came mainly from US bases in the region, arrived following an appeal for such aid by the Lebanese government. On Saturday May 26, two additional U.S. transport planes also carrying military aid landed in Beirut. The military supplies are believed to include ammunition for automatic rifles and heavy weapons, spare parts for military helicopters and night-vision equipment. American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reaffirmed Washington's support for the Siniora government and added that Fatah al-Islam was trying to destabilise the democratically elected Lebanese government. But, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said he doubted the sudden rise in US sincerity in Lebanese internal affairs. Sporadic exchanges of gunfire were also reported between Lebanese troops and Fatah al-Islam fighters as the army continued to build up its presence around the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp. According to the BBC, the militants still holed up inside the camp were determined not to surrender. Aid workers struggled to deliver food and medicine to the thousands of Palestinian refugees who had not left the area.

May 26 was a largely peaceful day.

May 27-28: Fighting erupts, negotiations continue

Lebanese army posts were shelled and gunfire was heard late on May 27, despite a cease-fire deal at Nahr al-Bared. The head of Fatah al-Islam, the militant Palestinian group, said his men would not surrender. The latest spat of violence came as negotiations were reportedly taking place with the Islamists. The conflict had entered its first week and left dozens dead, including many civilians. A UN staffer declared that about 25,000 had fled the camp by now but thousands still remain. The Lebanese army was helped by new reinforcements being sent up. Lebanese government officials have told AFP that they had given Palestinian factions until the middle of the week to negotiate a peaceful solution to end the fighting. According to the BBC, Fatah al-Islam leaders now seem to have endorsed the same rhetoric as al-Qaeda. The group previously stated that it was defending Muslims and Palestinians in Lebanon but rival factions have distanced themselves from the group. [4]

May 29

Sporadic fighting erupted on May 29 between the Lebanese army and militants, with no sign of progress in efforts to mediate an end to the 10-day standoff. One Lebanese soldier was killed in the clashes.

Bombings in Beirut

May 21

Fatah al-Islam claimed responsibility for two bombings that took place in Beirut.. Then a spokesman for the group denied any responsibility for them. The first bombing occurred shortly after midnight on May 21, killing a woman near the ABC shopping mall in Beirut's largely Christian eastern district of Ashrafieh. At least 10 people were hurt in the blast.

On the same day, at approximately 11 PM local time in Beirut, a second large explosion was heard in the mainly Muslim district of Verdun, located in a shopping area. At least seven people were wounded and the neighbouring buildings were severely damaged.

A third bombing, in a Christian neighborhood northeast of Beirut called Mansouriyeh, was foiled when authorities caught a Palestinian and an Egyptian carrying a bag full of explosives.

May 23

On May 23, a bomb went off near the main government building in Aley, a majority Druze town about 17 km northeast of Beirut. Reports said about five people were injured and a few buildings damaged by the blast. The security forces said the bomb was in a bag that had been left in front of a building close to a shopping district.

May 27

In Beirut, on May 27, two policemen and two civilians were injured when a grenade was thrown in a mainly Muslim section of the city. [5]

Reactions

• Fouad Siniora, Lebanon's prime minister, accused Fatah al-Islam of trying to destabilise the country. 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. Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea said that Fatah al-Islam is an offshoot of Syrian intelligence and its terrorist activities must end. Nayla Mouawad, Lebanese social affairs minister, said the militants have "Syrian allegiance and only take orders from Syria." Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade, Sami Haddad, told the BBC his government suspected Syria of masterminding the violence. Haddad also asked for money and resources to help Lebanese forces battling the militants. "I take this opportunity to ask our friends all over the world — Arab governments and friendly Western governments — to help us both logistically and with military equipment," he declared. The Lebanese Cabinet declared its "full support" for military efforts to end the fighting, said Mohamed Chatah, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. "Lebanese security forces are targeting militants and are not randomly shooting into the refugee camp," Chatah said. The living conditions at the camp are partly to blame for the rise of Fatah al-Islam, according to Khalil Makkawi, a former Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations. Lebanese President Emile Lahoud called on all Lebanese to unite around the army. Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, a supporter of Lebanon's governing coalition, said there were "no proposals" for a military solution. "But we want the murderers handed over to Lebanese justice," he said. [6]
• Minutes after the violence erupted, Syria temporarily closed two border crossings with northern Lebanon because of security concerns. Syrian leaders deny fomenting violence in Lebanon. Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, has denied his country had any links to the group, and said some of them had been in jail in Syria for their support of al-Qaeda.
• The Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian factions' union delegation to the Grand Serail stressed Palestinians should shoulder responsibility of the improvised action by Fatah al-Islam. The delegation comprised representatives from Hamas, The Democratic Front, Sa'iqa, Nidal Front, Islamic Jihad, Fatah al-Intifada, Palestinian Liberation Front and Abbas Zaki, the representative of the executive committee of the PLO.
• U.S. 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. The U.S. State Department dismissed any links between this week's violence and efforts to establish the international tribunal to try suspects for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
• A Fatah al-Islam spokesman, Abu Salim, told Al-Jazeera television that the group was only defending itself. "We were forced and compelled to be in this confrontation with the Lebanese army," Abu Salim said in an interview on Arabic language network Al-Jazeera. Fatah al-Islam's leader, Shaker al-Abssi, 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. In a video message released by the Fatah al-Islam leader he ruled out surrender. "O advocates of the US plan, we tell you that Sunnis will be a spearhead in fighting the Jews, Americans and their allies," he said. [7]
• File:Flag of Hezbollah.svg In an address to mark the seventh anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shia militant group Hezbollah, urged the Lebanese government not to storm the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp to destroy the radicals of Fatah al-Islam. He added the conflict could be solved politically without any escalation. "The Nahr al-Bared camp and Palestinian civilians are a red line," Nasrallah said. "We will not accept or provide cover or be partners in this." Nasrallah also condemned attacks against the army and said: "The Lebanese army is the guardian of security, stability and national unity in this country. We should all regard this army as the only institution left capable of preserving security and stability in this country." [8] Nasrallah was skeptical of a U.S. military aid shipment to Lebanon and according to the Hezbollah leader, the Lebanese should not allow themselves to become entangled with al-Qaeda on behalf of the United States. "I wonder why all this care now for the Lebanese army," he said, referring to the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.[9] "Are you willing to fight the wars of others inside Lebanon?" he asked his audience. Hezbollah views extremist Sunni groups such as al-Qaeda and Fatah al-Islam as enemies. [10]

See also

• Siege of Beirut
• War of the camps
• Battle of Jenin
• 2006–2007 Lebanese political protests

External links

• UNRWA Lebanon: Nahr El Bared Emergency
• In pictures: Lebanon battles on 20 May (BBC)
• In pictures: Lebanon refugees flee 23 May (BBC)
• A new face of Al Qaeda emerges in Lebanon
• (www.lebanon-support.org) Day to day information on Humanitarian activities for the refugees of Nahr El Bared