Dozens of Lebanese army tanks and armoured carriers on Friday closed in on Islamist militants in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon as heavy fighting resumed.
An artillery bombardment sent clouds of white smoke rising from the Nahr el-Bared camp, where Fatah al-Islam militants have been under siege by the Lebanese army for 13 days.
The militants have barricaded themselves in residential neighbourhoods of narrow, winding streets and blocks of flats.
Around 50 armoured carriers, battle tanks and military vehicles from elite units massed at the northern edge of the camp.
There was no confirmation of whether the units were making a final push to take over the camp or advancing to grab territory and isolate the militants in pockets.
However, a significant decrease in shelling at one stage — accompanied by an increase in machine gun fire from armoured carriers — suggested troops were already engaging the militants.
The bombardment intensified several hours later, with Lebanese television reporting that troops were attempting to seize the main offices of Fatah al-Islam in the north-eastern part of the camp.
Military officials would not comment on the troop movements, and journalists were pushed back from the camp.
A statement by the army command said troops came under fire from the militants, and the army was “responding with accurate and decisive fire to deter them”. The statement claimed the army was avoiding civilian casualties. The concentrated bombardment began in the morning, with heavy barrages targeting all parts of the camp. Sporadic gunfire exchanges have continued each day since a truce halted three days of heavy fighting.
A Lebanese soldier was killed by sniper fire on Thursday, increasing the death toll among soldiers since the fighting began to 32.
At least 20 civilians and around 60 militants also have been killed. Thousands of Palestinians have fled the camp, but thousands remain inside.