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Fighting Continues Between Lebanese Troops, Islamic Militants


Lebanese troops have pounded militant positions at a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon in an ongoing effort to crush Fatah al-Islam fighters.

The militia group, holed up in the Nahr al-Bared camp, responded with heavy gunfire.

A commander for mainstream Fatah says several militia members surrendered to the group, turning in their weapons and pledging to stay out of the fighting.

More than 100 people, including soldiers, militants and civilians, have been killed in the fighting that began more than two weeks ago in the Nahr al-Bared camp near the city of Tripoli.

Monday, fighting spread to Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, Ein al-Hilweh, near the southern city of Sidon.

Also Monday, a bomb explosion on an empty passenger bus injured 10 bystanders in a Christian suburb of east Beirut. It was the latest in a series of bombings in and around the Lebanese capital in recent weeks.

A Lebanese parliament member from Sidon says authorities are working to contain the fighting at the two Palestinian refugee camps.

Fatah al-Islam militants have refused government demands to surrender and are vowing to fight to the death. The group says it can continue fighting for a few months.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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