Lebanon clashes 'kill civilians'

BBC

New clashes between troops and Islamist militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon have killed at least eight civilians, officials at the camp say.

Lebanese troops and militants exchanged fire around the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Tripoli, the focus of violence on Sunday that left 50 people dead.

Tanks shelled positions held by militants inside the camp, which houses thousands of Palestinian refugees.

Officials inside the camp said that dozens of people had been wounded......


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Lebanon media see Syria behind violence

BBC



The Lebanese media are in no doubt that Syria is to blame for clashes between security forces and Fatah al-Islam militants.

They also say the clashes are linked to the looming date of a UN resolution on an international tribunal to investigate the assassination of ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

Some Egyptian papers link the violence to the Palestinian issue.

NASIR AL-ASAD IN LEBANON'S AL-MUSTAQBAL

There is no doubt that the attack by the Fatah al-Islam terrorist gang was prompted by the craziness of the Syrian regime and its affiliates regarding the approach of the Security Council's endorsement of the international tribunal... Yesterday's crime shows why it is key to seek the UN's protection.

AMR HARQUS IN LEBANON'S AL-MUSTAQBAL

The ongoing battles and shelling in Tripoli are not a million miles from President [Bashar] al-Assad's promises to destroy Lebanon. The Syrian regime repeatedly confirms its animosity towards the Lebanese and the international tribunal, sometimes through its allies, and now through one of the arms of its intelligence service.

EDITORIAL IN LEBANON 'S AL-ANWAR

Some people think these incidents are designed to create widespread unrest to undermine the Security Council resolution... What happened proves clearly that the aim was to engage the army in battle... then spread the plan across Lebanon.

TALAL SULAYMAN IN LEBANON'S AL-SAFIR

The authorities took a shortcut by labelling Fatah al-Islam an affiliate of Syrian military intelligence... The solution is political and national... Terrorism should be tackled with national unity. International support has failed to save the country.

MUHAMMAD BARAKAT IN EGYPT'S AL-AKHBAR

Most Lebanese see an obvious link between the decision to form the tribunal and the sudden outbreak of events... They see that the hidden hands behind this crime are closely linked to the crime of the assassination of al-Hariri and are seeking to divert attention... by any means.

JONATHAN SPYER IN ISRAEL'S JERUSALEM POST

A draft resolution for the unilateral establishment of an international tribunal was circulated in the UN Security Council last week ... Could it be that the regime in Damascus might see an escalation of tension in Lebanon as a tacit reminder to the international community of what Damascus is capable of when put in a corner?

SALIH AL-QALLAB IN JORDAN'S AL-RA'Y

It looks like Fatah al-Islam, which has usurped Palestinian refugee camps in northern Lebanon but is rejected by all Palestinian organisations, has deliberately initiated this confrontation just as the international Security Council is about to endorse the international tribunal draft.

EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-JUMHURIYAH

The bloody clashes provide more evidence that the Middle East will not witness security and stability as long as the Palestinian issue remains unresolved.

EDITORIAL IN SAUDI AL-JAZIRAH

Arab negative attitudes, which Israel benefits from, have extended from southern Palestine to northern Lebanon... The situation requires prompt, effective action to halt a chronic state of affairs like that in Gaza.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.