US and Arab allies rush aid

Nahr Al Bared: The United States and Arab allies sent military aid to Lebanon yesterday and the Lebanese army deployed extra troops to a Palestinian camp where it has been battling militants all week.

A fragile truce held between the army and the Fatah Al Islam militant group in northern Lebanon at the Nahr Al Bared camp, where the faction is based, despite sporadic overnight clashes.

Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Al Murr said the government was leaving room for negotiations but the army would act if necessary. "What is required is the handing over of those terrorists and criminals," he told reporters.

Al Murr gave no details on the talks, but a delegation from the main Palestinian factions has been holding extensive meetings with Lebanese leaders in a bid to end the crisis.

At least 33 soldiers and 25 militants have been killed in what is the worst internal violence since the 1975-90 civil war.

Thousands have fled the camp, where Palestinian sources say at least 11 civilians have been killed and 100 wounded.

Three bombs hit the Beirut area last week, killing one woman and wounding about 20 people.

Deteriorating

At least six US and Arab military supply planes arrived at Beirut airport carrying ammunition and other light equipment from US depots in the region, security sources said.

"The United States has existing agreements to provide [military] assistance to Lebanon. Under those agreements we are expediting the delivery of supplies," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, acknowledging that some shipments had arrived. UNRWA, the UN agency which cares for Palestinian ref-ugees, said around 15,000 people were still in the camp, home to some 40,000 before it came under heavy army shelling this week.

Thousands who fled the fighting are sheltering in a nearby refugee camp where relief workers are delivering aid.

"The humanitarian situation in Nahr Al Bared is deteriorating," UNRWA spokeswoman Hoda Al Turk said. "We have our trucks full of food and water ready," she said, but added: "It's not secure enough for our staff to enter."

Supply convoy

An 11-truck aid convoy for the International Committee of the Red Cross arrived in Beirut from Amman, an ICRC spokesman in Geneva said.

"All the goods are destined for people in the north and to restock our stocks in Beirut," Vincent Lusser said.

Extra Lebanese soldiers arrived overnight at the camp, which the army is not allowed to enter under a 1969 Arab agreement, witnesses said. The 40,000-strong army is already stretched with significant deployments along the border with Israel in south Lebanon, Syria to the north and east and in and around Beirut.

Beirut requested more US military aid after fighting erupted on Sunday. Washington voiced support for the government, calling Fatah Al Islam "a brutal group of violent extremists".

Pledge to help

Arab states, many of which have fought their own battles with militants, have also pledged military aid.

Lebanese leaders have vowed to stamp out the group, which is led by a Palestinian but has little support among Lebanon's Palestinian refugee community of around 400,000.

Lebanon's defence ministry estimates between 50 and 60 militants have been killed in the fighting, which the army says started after Fatah Al Islam launched unprovoked attacks on soldiers.

The militants say they acted in self-defence.

Fatah Al Islam is inspired by the Sunni militant group Al Qaida. The Lebanese authorities say they have arrested Saudi, Algerian, Tunisian, Syrian and Lebanese members of the group.