Posted on 06/12/2007 11:24:02 PM PDT by HAL9000
Lebanon has informed the United Nations that pro-Damascus Palestinian militants are massing fighters near the border with Syria, an official said Tuesday, as the U.N. voiced fears of rising strife in the divided country."The government sent reports to the United Nations noting the observation last week of concentrations (of armed men) from Fatah-Intifada and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command," the source said.
The fighters were seen in two areas, Qussaya and Halwa, in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley close to the Syrian border, the source said.
The Western-backed government says Syria is seeking to destabilize its smaller neighbor, from which it was forced to withdraw troops in 2005, by allowing arms and militants to cross its border.
The warning about the two Damascus-based militant factions came as the Lebanese army besieged terrorists of Fatah al-Islam at a northern refugee camp for a fourth week.
The U.N. Security Council on Monday voiced deep concern at reports of arms smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border, amid fears of escalating strife in a country battling deep sectarian and political divisions.
U.N. Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said that PFLP-GC and Fatah-Intifada appeared to be growing stronger with higher quality arms thanks to "a steady flow of weapons and armed elements across the border from Syria."
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon recently sent an independent mission to fully assess monitoring of the Syria-Lebanon border and a report is expected at the end of the month.
The U.N. Security Council resolution that brought an end to last summer's war between Israel and Hizbullah called on the government to secure its borders to prevent the entry of illegal weapons.
It also called on the 12,700-strong U.N. peacekeeping force patrolling the Israeli border in the south to assist the government in achieving that objective, if requested.
The Beirut government has requested technical assistance to control its borders with Syria.
Syria has objected strongly to any suggestion that foreign troops be deployed along the Lebanese side of its borders and threatened to shut the crossings.
Syrian President Bashar Assad has said such a deployment would be considered a hostile act.
Palestinians taking care of U.S. business?
This sh*tstorm is about to get a lot bigger. What is it about Summer that makes the Arabs go to war?
Too hot for sex?
Summer, Heat, Turd World, No plumbing, Out Houses......the whole damned place stinks enough to drive them insane...
“Palestinians taking care of U.S. business?”
? What do you mean by that?
Excellent. Love to see the squeeze on Syria was set in motion by encouraging Lebanese independence.
Syria has always thought of Lebanon as part of Greater Syria - like Bosnia was part of Greater Serbia.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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The PFLP is a designated terrorist group, a PLO member, which the US is now funding when it funds the PLO.
I'm not sure attempting to overthrow the Lebanese government, again, is US business.
Isn’t the U.S. getting ready to take on Syria? That is what I have been hearing.
I am referring to the Syrian government.
Perhaps he meant SanFraNan’s business?
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