Richard J. Cook
Heavy fighting resumes in Nahr El Bared camp.
Artillery bombardment intensified in Nahr al-Bared around mid-morning (1 June). Clouds of smoke billowed from the camp. The heavy shelling also ignited fires in the camp. There were reports from inside the camp that the troops seized militant sniper positions and Fatah al-Islam positions were destroyed in the push.
A statement by the army command said troops came under fire from militants and the army was responding with accurate and decisive fire to deter them. The statement said the army was at the same time avoiding civilian casualties.
A Lebanese soldier was killed by Islamic militants' sniper fire on Thursday, which raised the death the number of soldiers killed to 32 since the beginning of the fighting between the army and Fatah al-Islam on May 20.
Fatah and Jund Al Sham clashed in Ein El Hilweh camp
On a separate front, members of the Fatah movement and the Islamist Jund al-Sham group exchanged gunfire in Ein el-Hilweh camp, in Saida Area. A Fatah militant, whose brother had been killed by the Islamists earlier this month, shot at one of Jund al-Sham members he thought was responsible, without hitting him. This led to an exchange of small arms fire and grenades that lasted about half an hour at the camp late Thursday.
SITUATION BY AREA:
Situation in the north: Heavy clashes and shelling resumed this morning between the Lebanese Army and the Fatah al-Islam militants.
13 UNRWA staff members are still inside Nahr el-Bared. No ambulances have been able to enter the camp in spite of calls from inside the camp for help.
Humanitarian situation inside Nahr EL Bared remains unchanged. It is estimated that about 6000 families have left the Camp
In Beddawi Camp, all UNRWA installations (other than schools) are operating normally. The displaced refugees in Baddawi camp staged a sit-in inside the camp calling for an end to these hostilities.
So far, a total of 5142 displaced families are in North Lebanon Area (inside and outside Beddawi).
Situation in CLA: All UNRWA installations operating normally. A total of 373 displaced families from Nahr el Bared Camp have arrived in Central Lebanon Area (Beirut)
The Palestinian Coalition Alliance Factions including Hamas and Islamic Jihad have called for a sit-In in front of Bourj Barajneh Health Center on 01/06/2007 at 13:30 hrs, protesting against the deteriorating situation in Nahr El Bared Camp.
Situation in Beqaa: All UNRWA operations in Beqaa area are functioning normally. A total of 87 displaced families have arrived in the Beqaa area.
Situation in Tyre: All installations operating normally. A total of 201 displaced families from Nahr el Bared Camp arrived to Tyre area.
Situation in Saida: UNRWA services are operating normally. 342 families displaced from Nahr el-Bared camp arrived in Saida.
UNRWA assistance to the displaced families continued:. It includes Mattresses, pillows, covers hygiene kits and food parcels (containing food supplies for 5 persons for a period of 30 days).