2007 Lebanon conflict

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Part of the War on Terrorism^{[citation needed]}

Date	May 20, 2007 – present
Location	Fighting: Nahr al-Bared, Tripoli, Ain al-Hilweh Bombings: Beirut, Aley, Zouk Mosbeh Attack on UNIFIL: Khiyam
Result	Ongoing

Combatants

Lebanese Armed Forces

Fatah ^[1]

Fatah al-Islam

Jund al-Sham

Commanders

Michel Sulaiman

Shaker al-Abssi
Abu Youssef Sharqieh

Strength

72,100 troops

430 Fatah militants,
50 Jund militants,
unknown number of
al-Qaeda bombers

Casualties

Northern casualties:
133 killed, 278 wounded
Southern casualties:
2 killed, 6 wounded

Fatah al-Islam casualties:
105 killed, 66 captured,
240+ wounded
Jund al-Sham casualties:
5 killed
Bomber cells: 7 killed, 16 captured

Civilian casualties:
45 killed in the fighting,
12 killed in the bombings

International Red Cross:
2 killed
UNIFIL:
6 soldiers killed, 2 wounded

Casualties sources: ^[2]

The 2007 Lebanon conflict began when fighting broke out between Fatah al-Islam, an Islamist militant organization, and the Lebanese Armed Forces on May 20, 2007 in Nahr al-Bared, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. It has been the most severe internal fighting since Lebanon's 1975–90 civil war. The conflict evolved mostly around the Siege of Nahr el-Bared, but minor clashes have also occurred in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in southern Lebanon and several terrorist bombings took place in and around Lebanon's capital Beirut.

[edit] Background

[edit] Nahr al-Bared refugee camp

Main article: Nahr al-Bared

Lebanon is home to more than 350,000 Palestinian refugees, some 215,000 of whom live in camps,^[3] including the descendants of those who fled from the British Mandate of Palestine during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. As in many other Arab countries, Lebanese citizenship is unavailable to them, and many are banned from all but menial jobs in Lebanon, forcing them to mostly live off aid provided by the United Nations. In 1962, Palestinians were categorized as foreigners in Lebanon, regardless of how long they had lived there. Non-Lebanese, which included the refugees, were restricted from working in over 70 skilled professions until 2005, when new legislation officially opened 50 such jobs to them. The civil war left Lebanon's government and the general Lebanese populace deeply suspicious of Palestinian refugees. But, under a 1969 Arab accord, later annulled by the Lebanese Parliament in the mid-1980's^[4]but maintained in principle, the government has been reluctant to enter the camps. ^[5]^[6] The current residents of the camps are currently denied access to their homeland or neighboring Arab nations.

The Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp is situated 16 km north of Tripoli near the coastal road and has been under scrutiny since February, when two buses were bombed in Ain Alak, a predominantly Christian village near Bikfaya. Fatah al-Islam militants based in the camp were blamed. About 30,000 displaced Palestinians live in the camp.^[7]

[edit] Fatah al-Islam

Main article: Fatah al-Islam

The Islamist Fatah al-Islam group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda and Lebanese government officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence. Government officials have accused the latter of trying to undermine Lebanon's efforts in the establishment of an international tribunal to deal with the murderers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. ^[7]

[edit] Timeline

2007 Lebanon conflict


Timeline
Combatants
Fatah al-Islam
Jund al-Sham
Lebanese Armed Forces
Locations
Tripoli
Nahr al-Bared
Ain al-Hilweh
Other articles
Bikfaya bombings
This box: view • talk • edit

Main article: Timeline of the 2007 Lebanon conflict

[edit] May 20: Start of the fighting in Tripoli and Nahr al-Bared

Fighting began early in the morning after a police raid on a house in Tripoli which was apparently being used by militants from Fatah al-Islam. The militant group subsequently began shooting at the Lebanese security forces who returned fire, triggering clashes in the vicinity of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli. The men reportedly resisted arrest and the violence spread to neighbouring streets. ^[8] Militants then attacked a Lebanese military post at the gate of the camp, seizing several vehicles. The Lebanese military sent reinforcements, including tanks, which returned fire at Fatah al-Islam positions. At least 27 Lebanese soldiers were killed in the fighting, along with an undetermined number of civilians and militants.

[edit] May 21-31: Nahr al-Bared under siege

Despite talks of a cease-fire, Fatah al-Islam militants continued battling the Lebanese army at the outskirts of the refugee camp while Lebanese tanks and artillery continued shelling their positions in the camp. By now the camp was totally surrounded by the Lebanese Army and more troops were coming in with tanks and APC's. Beirut's airport was the scene of several military aid shipments, mainly from the United States. The military supplies included ammunition for automatic rifles and heavy weapons, spare parts for military helicopters and night-vision equipment.

[edit] June 1-2: First Lebanese Army attack

Tanks massed outside the Nahr al-Bared camp and started a ground offensive. The fighting was concentrated in the southern and northern entrances of the camp. ^[9] At least 19 people were killed, including three army soldiers. ^[10] Among the dead was also a senior leader of Fatah al-Islam, Abu Riyadh; he had been killed by a Lebanese army sniper.^[11] After 48 hours of fighting the battle was over and the Army was repelled.

Location of events

[edit] June 3-4: Ain al-Hilweh violence

Fighting broke out between soldiers and Islamist militants at a second Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. The violence in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, near the southern city of Sidon, involved Jund al-Sham militants and the Lebanese army. Four people - two soldiers and two militants - were killed when suspected militants fired a grenade at an army checkpoint. Army troops responded to the attack with gunfire. ^[12]^[13]

[edit] June 9-12: Second Lebanese Army attack

After mediators failed to convince the Islamists to surrender, the Lebanese Army attacked Nahr el-Bared once again. The troops advanced 50 meters before they had to stop after taking heavy casualties due to booby-trapped buildings and other Fatah al-Islam positions that the militants left behind. In all 29 people were killed within 24 hours: 11 soldiers, 16 militants and 2 civilians. Another 100 soldiers were wounded. Some of the fighting was close-quarters and almost hand to hand.

On June 11, two Lebanese Red Cross workers were killed outside Nahr al-Bared as they were evacuating civilians. On June 12, the Lebanese army continued their push and took two key positions from Fatah al-Islam within the camp, one of them on the coastal side of the camp.

Lebanese soldiers during the street fighting on the outskirts of Nahr al-Bared

[edit] June 16-19: Third Lebanese Army attack

The Lebanese Army continued the offensive and heavy bombardment hit the camp. In 48 hours the Army managed to take another six Fatah al-Islam positions. At this time the only aim of the military was to destroy all of the militants positions on the outskirts of the camp, but the Army had no intention of going into the camp itself. On June 19, the Army finally managed to take all of the main positions of the Islamists. All of the buildings in the new (northern) part of the camp where the Fatah al-Islam fighters were dug in had been taken. Another seven soldiers were killed during this new round of fighting.

[edit] June 21: Outer parts of the camp fall

On June 21, the Lebanese defence minister reported that all of the Fatah al-Islam positions on the outlaying areas of the camp, from which the militants were attacking soldiers, have been taken or destroyed. The only positions left are those in the center of the camp from where the militants pose no threat and thus the Army has no intention of attacking the center of the camp. With this it was declared that the Lebanese military operation to destroy Fatah al-Islam was over. But heavy fighting still continued in the days ahead.

[edit] June 24-25: Renewed fighting in Tripoli & Nahr el-Bared

On June 24, for the first time since May 20, fighting erupted at an apartment building after a military raid on an Islamist militant cell that left 12 people dead. Among the killed were 7 non-Fatah militants, 1 soldier, 1 policeman and 3 civilians. Another 14 soldiers were wounded.^[14] On June 25, forces of the mainstream Fatah organisation, headed by Mahmoud Abbas entered the Nahr el Bared camp to fight Islamic militants and killed three of them, a spokesman of Fatah said.^[15]

On June 28, the military found and engaged a group of Fatah al-Islam militants, in a cave in the mountains south of Tripoli, in fighting that killed 5 Islamists. ^[16]

[edit] June 31: Jund al-Sham disbanded

On June 31, The Usbat Al Ansar source said that 23 members of Jund Al Sham in the Ain Al Helweh camp on the outskirts of the port city of Sidon have joined up with Usbat at a meeting on June 31, while the rest had laid down their weapons. Usbat Al Ansar detained three other members of the group on suspicion of hurling a grenade at an army checkpoint, in an incident that caused no casualties.^[17]

[edit] July 12-24: Fourth Lebanese Army attack

On July 12, after a lull in the fighting, the Lebanese army launched a new assault, towards the center of the camp where the last battle positions of the Islamists were. They resumed with the bombardment of the camp and troops engaged the militants in heavy street fighting. 33 soldiers were killed and 93 wounded during the fighting among the ruins of the camp where the Islamist fighters were well dug in and large parts of the camp were also booby-traped.^[18]

On July 14, militants escalated the fighting by firing Katyusha rockets at towns surrounding the camp. One civilian was killed, and several were wounded.

On July 16, the Army managed to take a hill in the southern part of the camp which represented a highly strategic positions.

By July 20, only 300 square yards had been left in the hands of the Islamists in the southern part of the camp. The army's advance was slowed down until they were able to defuse dozens of booby-traps left in the ruins of the camp by the Islamists.

[edit] July 25-August 4: Fifth Lebanese Army attack

Soldiers moved into the fighting area under cover from artillery fire, tank fire and gunfire. A witness said this was the heaviest shelling of insurgent positions he had ever seen. A Lebanese source said the army was ready to make the final push and capture the last 250 yards still in hands of the insurgents. About 100 men are believed to hold up in the area, about 60 fighters and 40 civilians. The militants answered with the firing of a handful of Katyusha rockets at Lebanese villages near the camp.^[19]

On July 28, a tiny enclave in the already recaptured part of the camp was captured and the militants inside, 8 people, were killed. The surprise attack was carried out by elite units. Cannons and armored vehicles were driven into the camp to demolish fortified houses, bunkers and tunnels. General Michel Sulaiman added, that victory was imminent and only days away.^[20]

The military was hoping to celebrate victory on August 1, which is Army Day in Lebanon. But there is no victory as of that day and all official ceremonies have been cancelled to respect the fallen soldiers. [10]

[edit] Bombings in and around Beirut

May 21: Fatah al-Islam claimed responsibility for two bombings that took place in Beirut.^[21]. Then a spokesman for the group denied any responsibility for them.^[22] The first bombing occurred shortly after midnight on May 21, killing a woman near the ABC shopping mall in Beirut's largely Christian eastern district of Ashrafieh. At least 10 people were hurt in the blast.^[23]

On the same day, at approximately 11 PM local time in Beirut, a second large explosion was heard in the mainly Muslim district of Verdun, located in a shopping area. ^[24] At least seven people were wounded and the neighbouring buildings were severely damaged.^[25]

A third bombing, in a Christian neighborhood northeast of Beirut called Mansouriyeh, was foiled when authorities caught a Palestinian and an Egyptian carrying a bag full of explosives.

Aftermath on a site of attack

May 23: A bomb went off near the main government building in Aley, a majority Druze town about 17 km northeast of Beirut. Reports said about five people were injured and a few buildings damaged by the blast. The security forces said the bomb was in a bag that had been left in front of a building close to a shopping district.^[23]

May 27: In Beirut, two policemen and two civilians were injured when a grenade was thrown in a mainly Muslim section of the city. ^[26]

June 4: A bomb exploded in an empty passenger bus parked in a Christian neighborhood east of Beirut, wounding seven passers-by. The explosion occurred in the residential and industrial Bouchrieh suburb. ^[27]

June 7: A Lebanese man was killed and three other people wounded in a blast at a warehouse used to fill oxygen canisters in a Christian industrial area north of Beirut, police said. No group claimed responsibility for the explosion in the Zouk Mosbeh area, 20km north of Beirut. A policeman said: "A medium-sized explosive charge had been put inside a car parked near the factory." He said that casualties were low because there were few people in the industrial zone at night. Lebanese soldiers and firefighters attended at least one large fire that was started by the blast. A building was badly damaged and several cars destroyed. ^[28]

June 13: A car bomb hit Beirut's seafront Corniche al-Manara killing at least 10 people and injuring 11 more. The attack killed Walid Eido, a member of parliament with the Current for the Future bloc known for his opposition to the Syrian influence on Lebanon. His eldest son, Khaled, and two bodyguards were also killed. Four unidentified civilians were also killed in what is believed to be a blast caused by a bomb-rigged car. Television pictures showed a car on fire near an amusement park on the crowded seafront road in the western half of the city. ^[29]

The bomb-laden car was a Mitsubishi Pajero sport utility vehicle. The bomb blast was eerily similar to the massive blast that killed Rafiq Hariri in February 2005. A coincidence perhaps, but the vehicle used to carry the explosives for the Hariri assassination was also a Mitsubishi. ^[30]

[edit] Attacks on United Nations peacekeepers

On June 24, a UNIFIL armored personnel carrier was hit by a car bomb on the border with Israel killing six Spanish soldiers and wounding another two Spanish soldiers. Both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah condemned the attack. Intelligence gathered from captured militants indicated that the militants were planning to attack United Nations soldiers on the Israeli-Lebanese border. Also, Fatah al-Islam itself said that if the fighting continued it would conduct attacks on targets outside of northern Lebanon. Al-Qaeda also stated that it would target the U.N. troops on the border.^[31]

On July 16, a roadside blast damaged a Unifil vehicle near the southern city of Tyre. The Unifil vehicle damaged near Tyre was hit by an explosion near the Qasimiya bridge over the Litani river. "We can confirm an explosion in the area of Qasmiyeh bridge which slightly damaged a Unifil vehicle of the Tanzanian battalion," spokeswoman Yasmeena Bouziane said. ^[32]

[edit] Casualties

Two Lebanese Red Cross workers were also killed during the fighting at Nahr al-Bared

At least 285 people, including 133 soldiers and 105 militants, had been killed in the fighting during the 78-day siege of the camp. More than 275 soldiers and 240 militants had been wounded and more than 60 militants had been detained. On a per capita basis Lebanon lost more soldiers in three weeks of fighting than the U.S. lost in Iraq in four years of war. ^[33]

Twelve Lebanese civilians were killed in terrorist bombings in and around Beirut, two soldiers and five militants were killed in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, seven non-Fatah Islamic militants were killed during a raid in Tripoli, and six U.N. soldiers were killed, while two were wounded in the bombing attack on the Israeli-Lebanon border.

Most of the some 31,000 Palestinians that live at the camp fled the fighting to other camps in the country.

[edit] Reactions

Fouad Siniora, Lebanon's prime minister, accused Fatah al-Islam of trying to destabilise the country.^[34] Lebanese Interior Minister Hasan al-Sabaa described Fatah al-Islam as "part of the Syrian intelligence-security apparatus." Lebanon's national police commander, Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi, dismissed any purported al-Qaeda connection, saying Fatah al-Islam was controlled by Damascus. Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea said that Fatah al-Islam is an offshoot of Syrian intelligence and its terrorist activities must end.^[35] Nayla Mouawad, Lebanese social affairs minister, said the militants have "Syrian allegiance and only take orders from Syria."^[36] Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade, Sami Haddad, told the BBC his government suspected Syria of masterminding the violence.^[23] Haddad also asked for money and resources to help Lebanese forces battling the militants. "I take this opportunity to ask our friends all over the world — Arab governments and friendly Western governments — to help us both logistically and with military equipment," he declared.^[36] The Lebanese Cabinet declared its "full support" for military efforts to end the fighting, said Mohamed Chatah, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. "Lebanese security forces are targeting militants and are not randomly shooting into the refugee camp," Chatah said.^[36] The living conditions at the camp are partly to blame for the rise of Fatah al-Islam, according to Khalil Makkawi, a former Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations.^[36] Lebanese President Emile Lahoud called on all Lebanese to unite around the army.^[37] Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, a supporter of Lebanon's governing coalition, said there were "no proposals" for a military solution. "But we want the murderers handed over to Lebanese justice," he said. ^[38].
A Fatah al-Islam spokesman, Abu Salim, told Al-Jazeera television that the group was only defending itself. "We were forced and compelled to be in this confrontation with the Lebanese army," Abu Salim said in an interview on Arabic language network Al-Jazeera.^[36] Fatah al-Islam's leader, Shaker al-Abssi, told Al-Arabiya TV in June that his group had no connection to al-Qaeda or Syria. He said, his group seeks to reform Palestinian refugee camps in accordance with Islamic law, or Sharia.^[36] In a video message released by the Fatah al-Islam leader he ruled out surrender. "O advocates of the US plan, we tell you that Sunnis will be a spearhead in fighting the Jews, Americans and their allies," he said. ^[39]
Minutes after the violence erupted, Syria temporarily closed two border crossings with northern Lebanon because of security concerns.^[7] Syrian leaders deny fomenting violence in Lebanon.^[36] Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Jaafari, has denied his country had any links to the group, and said some of them had been in jail in Syria for their support of al-Qaeda.^[23]
The Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian factions' union delegation to the Grand Serail stressed Palestinians should shoulder responsibility of the improvised action by Fatah al-Islam. The delegation comprised representatives from Hamas, The Democratic Front, Sa'iqa, Nidal Front, Islamic Jihad, Fatah al-Intifada, Palestinian Liberation Front and Abbas Zaki, the representative of the executive committee of the PLO.^[37]
Hezbollah views extremist Sunni groups such as al-Qaeda and Fatah al-Islam as enemies^[40] but in an address to mark the seventh anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Shia group Hezbollah, urged the Lebanese government not to storm the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp and attack Fatah al-Islam. He demanded the conflict solved politically. "The Nahr al-Bared camp and Palestinian civilians are a red line," Nasrallah said. "We will not accept or provide cover or be partners in this." Nasrallah also condemned attacks against the army and said: "The Lebanese army is the guardian of security, stability and national unity in this country. We should all regard this army as the only institution left capable of preserving security and stability in this country." ^[41] Nasrallah was skeptical of a U.S. military aid shipment to Lebanon and according to the Hezbollah leader, the Lebanese should not allow themselves to become entangled with al-Qaeda on behalf of the United States. "I wonder why all this care now for the Lebanese army," he said, referring to the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. ^[42] "Are you willing to fight the wars of others inside Lebanon?" he asked his audience.
U.S. President George W. Bush said the Islamists needed to be stopped. "Extremists that are trying to topple that young democracy need to be reined in," he said.^[23] The U.S. State Department dismissed any links between this week's violence and efforts to establish the international tribunal to try suspects for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.^[36]
Al-Qaeda released a statement saying: "Sons of Islam, o sons of the nation of Allah and Jihad, our brothers in the Nahr el-Bared camp in Lebanon are being subjected to the flagrant aggression of the army working for treason and apostasy, the Lebanese Army." They called on "every Muslim" to support Fatah al-Islam because it is seeking "a confrontation" with Israel.^[43]
- Al-Qaeda in the Levant, based in Lebanon, accused the Lebanese government of embarking on a "crusade" after depriving its Palestinian inhabitants of basic rights.^[43]
- Al-Qaeda in Syria, said Christians in Lebanon were part of a 'united crusader-Jewish front' directed against Muslims, and accused the "Lebanese army, government, intelligence branches and police" of being "the guard dogs of France and America." Calling upon its supporters to "support the jihad," the group also said: "We warn that if the Lebanese government does not lift its blockade, its sons living on Syrian territory will be considered moving targets," adding that it would carry out kidnappings, shootings, and beheadings of Lebanese citizens.^[44]