Lebanese Army Naher Al-Bared

The Lebanese Army Command said Friday that "surrender of the criminals" is the first step in achieving justice in the ongoing confrontation with Fatah al-Islam terrorists in the northern Nahr al-Bared camp.
"The army command highly values initiatives and efforts … aimed at finding a settlement to the current crisis," a statement said.

However, it noted that the army command "has no right to make concessions related to justice … achieving justice starts with surrender of the criminals who committed massacres against (Lebanese) troops," the statement added.

The confrontation, which has claimed more than 150 lives, broke out on May 20 when Fatah al-Islam terrorists slaughtered 17 troops around the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp.

The army command said troops have "tight field control" over all the "facilities, command centers, fighting outposts, training bases and information offices" that had been used by Fatah al-Islam terrorists in the camp.

Such control included "demolishing "tunnels" used by Fatah al-Islam militants in the fight, the communiqué explained.

The terrorists, according to the statement, have "fled towards the depth of the camp where they use civilians as human shields."  (Naharnet)

Beirut, 22 Jun 07, 19:53