May 22, 2007

Lebanon Enters Third Day Of Fighting

Another day in Lebanon opened with heavy fire exchanged between the Lebanese army and a Palestinian militant group in a refugee camp in the northern part of the country, where clashes have been ongoing for a few days. But violence also spread to the south today, with new fighting at a refugee camp there and a bomb attack injuring six people in Beirut. More than 50 people have already been killed.

It's not clear whether the other incidents are linked to the continued fighting in the north, but a spokesman for Fatah al Islam threatened increased violence if the army didn't stop its efforts at the refugee camp.

Bloomberg News quotes analysts suggesting that the continued violence could be driven by Syria in an attempt to pressure Lebanon's government.

The two countries have a long history of tension, but new sparks have ignited in recent days over a proposal to put Syrian officials on trial for multiple assassinations in Lebanon, including the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The United States and France both support the tribunal proposal; Syria and its allies, including Hezbollah, oppose it.

The Gate has more background on the conflict.

Posted at 7:37 AM
Posted to: Lebanon, Middle East
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