An apparent peace returned to northern Lebanon
after a week of turmoil and gunfights, while government officials try to find a
solution to the crisis.
It looks like the government wants the Islamist militants who
gunned-down several soldiers and allegedly started the week-long clashes. A
military siege has been ruled out, a statement which follows the massive
display of Lebanese troops in the region.
Three-way negotiations between Fatah, Hamas and the Democratic
Front for the Liberation of Palestine are been carried out, as the Lebanese
side asked for the persons responsible for deadly attacks on soldiers to be
handed over to justice.
According to a Palestinian source, the two movements Fatah and
Hamas can’t control the militants inside the camp, their members representing a
minority in the Nahr al-Bared camp.
The extremist group Fatah al-Islam, which was involved in the
fierce battle with Lebanese military troops, is a international conglomerate of
militants, runaways from their home countries. That is why they are so
difficult to control and they are believed to be a group of mercenaries with
strong al-Qaeda ties.
For them there is no opportunity left but surrender, as the Lebanese
army has surrounded the Palestinian settlement and is waiting for governmental
orders.
Violence erupted last Sunday and 77 persons were killed,
dozens more being seriously injured, as the camp does not have a proper medical
facility and the fighting stopped aid workers to enter the settlement for days.
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