Middle East News

Planes carrying military equipment arrive at Beirut airport

May 25, 2007, 9:19 GMT

Beirut - Two planes carrying military equipment and ammunition for the Lebanese Army, which is locked in fighting with Islamic militants, arrived at Beirut airport Friday, US embassy sources told Deustche Presse-Agentur dpa.

'One Egyptian military plane and another Kuwaiti one has arrived in Beirut airport carrying weapons to the army. They have already landed at Beirut airport,' the sources said.

'This shipment was previously ordered by the Lebanese Army, but it has now been accelerated' because of the current urgent needs of the troops, the sources said, declining to elaborate further.

The Lebanese Army has been fighting guerrillas from the Fatah Al- Islam movement holed up in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al- Bared in northern Lebanon, with at least 77 people killed since Sunday.

The remainder would be coming from other Arab states where the US maintains weapons depots, the sources said.

The United States provided 40 million dollars in military aid to Lebanon last year and already this year has supplied hardware worth 5 million dollars.