Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
June 8, 2007

Lebanese Army Pounds Militants in Refugee Camp
----------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=17C270D:A6F02AD83191E160DCEA347C4FD1482B9574F7DCC14957C0 More than 100
people, including soldiers, militants and civilians killed since
fighting erupted almost three weeks ago





Smoke rises from heavy shelling during Lebanese army operation at the
Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el-Bared in the north city of
Tripoli,  08 June 2007The Lebanese army has again battled Fatah
al-Islam militants holed up inside a Palestinian refugee camp near
Tripoli.

Troops resumed artillery and tank fire on the al-Qaida-inspired
militants in the Nahr al-Bared camp early Friday.  Militants responded
with machine gun fire and anti-tank rockets.

Clouds of smoke billowed over the camp.

More than 100 people, including soldiers, militants and civilians,
have been killed since fighting erupted almost three weeks ago.

The militants have repeatedly refused government demands to surrender,
and have vowed to fight to the death.

Thousands of refugees have fled the camp, although some still remain
inside.

There have been several bombings in and around Beirut since the start
of the fighting.

On Thursday, an explosion in a factory caused a large fire in a
Christian area north of Beirut, killing one civilian and injuring at
least three others. 

Earlier Thursday, authorities found three vehicles rigged with
explosives in the town of Bar Elias, in the Bekaa Valley east of the
Lebanese capital.

In other news, France has invited Lebanese political and civil society
leaders to a meeting to discuss the future of Lebanon.  The French
foreign ministry says the meeting could take place in late June.

The pro-Western Lebanese government has been locked in a political
power struggle with the pro-Syrian Shi'ite militant group, Hezbollah.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


.