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Lebanese army crushes militants at refugee camp

Residents of nearby villages celebrate as the three-month siege ends.

MOHAMMARA, Lebanon - Lebanon's army crushed the last remnants of a militant group in a ferocious gunbattle Sunday that killed 39 of the fighters, ending a bloody three-month siege at a Palestinian refugee camp that was the country's worst internal violence in years.

Nearby villages celebrated with fireworks, drumming and dancing after the government declared victory.

The al-Qaida inspired Fatah Islam fighters made their last stand by trying to stage a dawn breakout from the siege at the Nahr el-Bared camp, triggering the final gunbattles.

The breakout began when militants sneaked through an underground tunnel to an area of the camp under army control and fought with troops. At the same time, another group of militants struck elsewhere to try to escape. They were aided by outside fighters who arrived in cars, according to security officials and state-run TV reports.

Troop reinforcements deployed close to the camp on Lebanon's northern Mediterranean coastline. They blocked roads to prevent fighters from sneaking out, residents said.

Troops hunted the militants down in buildings, fields and roads around the camp, residents said, and the army launched dragnets to capture any still at large. Residents of nearby villages, armed with guns and sticks, fanned out to protect their houses and prevent the fighters from seeking refuge and melting into the local population, state television reported.

Mohammed Khodor Najib, 65, boasted about how he captured a militant in Mohammara.

"I found one of them hiding in my garden," he said. Using a hunting rifle, he opened fire. "I hit him and handed him over to the army," he said.

Officials said the army killed 39 militants and captured at least 15 others when they broke out of the camp and attempted to flee.

The army said three soldiers were killed in Sunday's fighting and two on Saturday, raising to 158 the number of troops who have died in the conflict - Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war. More than 20 civilians and more than 60 militants have also been killed.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora called Sunday's final battle the "greatest national victory for Lebanon over the terrorists in Nahr el-Bared." He said in a televised speech to the country that this was "an hour of pride, victory and joy with regard to the sacrifices offered by our country and martyrs."

Celebrations cut through the deep political divisions in the country, with both pro-government and opposition praising the army. President Emile Lahoud said the army "has achieved what superpowers could not in confronting terrorism."

It was not immediately known how many militants managed to escape. Before Sunday, Lebanese officials had said up to 70 Fatah Islam militants remained in the bombed-out camp - down from an estimated 360 fighters when the battle erupted on May 20.

The fate of the group's leader, Shaker al-Absi, remained unknown. Local media reports suggested he was among the few believed to have escaped the fierce battle at the camp. Security officials said authorities were conducting DNA and other forensic tests to identify the dead.

[Last modified September 3, 2007, 01:33:26]