Two relief workers died and a Palestinian mediator was injured in fierce clashes on Monday between Lebanese forces and Fatah Islam fighters at a Palestinian refugee camp. According to Reuters, security sources said the two Lebanese Red Cross workers were killed and a third was hurt when they tried to evacuate civilians caught up in the fighting between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants at Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon.
A Palestinian cleric, Sheikh Mohammad al-Hajj, was also injured after he entered the camp to hold talks with the militants on ways to end the 23-day-old conflict.
Meanwhile, the daily An-Nahar said Monday that "the Nahr al-Bared battle is headed toward a big escalation," saying the Lebanese military had brought in new reinforcements, including more effective artillery and additional naval forces, while pro-Syrian Palestinian factions had joined Fatah Islam militants in their fight.
At least 132 people have been killed, including 57 soldiers, in three weeks of fighting. Eleven soldiers died and more than 100 were wounded in battles at the weekend alone.
