People flee Nahr al-Bared camp ahead of expected final assault

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

"BEIRUT, 11 July 2007 (IRIN) - Up to 150 people from the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon fled on 11 July, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Witnesses said the army was preparing a final assault on the Fatah al-Islam militants holed up inside.

ICRC spokeswoman Virginia de la Guardia said between 140 and 150 people, mostly men, had left the camp during a lull in fighting early in the day. By afternoon, the army had resumed heavy bombardment.....

"There are people leaving now, as yesterday the army hit five underground shelters. No civilians were killed but they are worried the army is going to destroy the whole camp now," said Abu Imad.

"Very, very grave" humanitarian situation

Abu Imad described the humanitarian situation in the camp as "very, very grave" with lack of food, water and medicine and with dead bodies rotting in the streets.

The ICRC has been unable to deliver any food, water or medicine into Nahr al-Bared since 22 June because the army is refusing to grant safe passage.

"Not allowing the supplies through is a mass punishment for all the civilians inside here," said Abu Imad. "If there is not an immediate ceasefire we are afraid the army will destroy the camp and we will all die in here."....."

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Salute the "heroic" Lebanese "army" in this dastardly act of mass destruction, slaughter and forced displacement of about 40,000 innocent refugees with no place to go!