Ten people have died after clashes between Fateh Al Islam and the Lebanese Army, in Lebanon's second city.

It comes forty-eight hours after the government declared the battle over.

The fighting has now spread out of the Nahr Al Bared camp and into the neary city of Tripoli.

Two civilians, one soldier, a policeman and at six Fateh Al Islam members are dead. It happened when the Army raided an apartment in the Abu Samra district of the city.

Syria has closed all borders with Lebanon as fears grow that the fighting will escalate and spread across Lebanon and overflow into Syria. Only the Masnaa crossing - on the Beirut-Damascus highway - is open. But there are long queues as people fear that crossing will soon be closed.

Labels: Fateh Al Islam, Lebanese Forces, Syria-Lebanon border

A very interesting survey by Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar shows that more people agree with the opposition than the government.

The survey asks, do you blame the US for the crisis in Lebanon - that's the opposition's view - 50% say yes.

It asks, do you blame Syria and Iran for the crisis in Lebanon - that's the government's view - 35% say yes.

(So we've obviously got 15% which don't support either group)


The survey also shows that differences between the sects are as strong as ever.

It also shows that the Druze are at one end of the spectrum, with the Shia at the other end. The Druze are overwhelmingly pro-US, anti-Syria and the Shia are overwhelmingly the other way. What is interesting is the size of these percentages. So while there is some disagreement within the Sunni and Christian camps, the Druze and Shia are standing by their leaders to almost unbelievable extents.

The US is to blame for the political deadlock in Lebanon:

95% of Shia say yes

37% of Sunnis say yes

37% of Christians say yes

and amazingly, just 5% of Druze say yes


We see a similar breakdown when we ask...are Syria and Iran to blame for the crisis:

just 2% of Shia say yes

33% of Christians say yes

59% of Sunnis say yes

and 79% of Druze say yes

Full details here.

Labels: Hariri Militia, Hizbollah, Lebanese Forces, Lebanon, Media

" Samir Geagea, the Phalangist - a convicted murderer whose party now supports the elected government - was self-assured enough to tell his audience that "we will pursue the criminals across the world and to the end of time". "

Labels: Lebanese Forces

Beirut has been put under curfew for the first time since the civil war ended in 1990.

It comes a day after brutal sectarian fights led to four deaths and dozens of injuries.

Witnesses reported the Lebanese Forces militia, Hariri militia and Amal militia taking part in most of the violence at Beirut's Arab University.

But on a positive note, Lebanon has another $7 billion of debt to add to its world record $41 billion debt. Lebanon likes world records. Here's another one: Lebanon spends two-thirds of everything it earns paying interest on its debt. TWO-THIRDS.

Labels: Beirut, Hariri Militia, Lebanese Forces