Lebanon: civilians trapped under fire

May 22, 2007

Lebanese tanks and artillery have battered a Palestinian refugee camp where Islamist militants are holed up for a third day. There is now growing concern for the plight of 40,000 civilians trapped there. The fighting erupted at dawn at Nahr al-Bared camp near the northern port of Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city. The army is attacking Fatah al-Islam, a small al Qaeda-inspired Sunni group that made its base in the camp last year.