Lebanese army detains militants around Palestinian camp (Extra)

May 25, 2007, 20:59 GMT

Beirut - The Lebanese army on Friday said it had arrested a large number of armed militants and warned that the only way out for fighters hiding in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon is surrender.

The army command said that troops had 'detained a large number of them in the region of Tripoli and around the camp' of Nahr al-Bared, where the a group of al-Qaeda-linked militants were holed up.

'There will be no leniency or compromise with the criminal killers,' the army said. It did not specify the date of the arrests.

'Army units deployed in the area of Nahr al-Bared camp continued to reinforce their positions, tighten their siege on the armed groups and will respond decisively to the source of fire.'

Meanwhile a fragile undeclared truce continued Friday after a night-time clash.

'The situation is calm today. The army is respecting the truce, but will respond forcefully and decisively if we are attacked,' he said.

Fatah al-Islam said it had no intention of surrendering but would continue to observe the ceasefire it unilaterally declared on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Elias Murr told reporters Friday that talks are under way to negotiate an end to deadly clashes with Islamist militants, known as Fatah al-Islam, but did not rule the use of force if talks fail.

'We are now giving a chance for political negotiations,' Murr told reporters. 'If the political negotiations fail, I will leave it up to the army command to carry out the required actions.'

Media reports said mainstream Palestinian factions were trying to break the deadlock between the Lebanese army and Fatah al-Islam for fear of the humanitarian impact on Palestinian civilians if an all- out offensive was launched against the refugee camp.

In previous statements, Murr had ruled out any negotiations to end the clashes that have killed a total of 77 people since Sunday, 31 of them Lebanese soldiers.

The fragile lull on Friday continued as the US started to deliver military equipment to the Lebanese army upon a request of the Lebanese government.

'This shipment has previously been ordered by the Lebanese army but it has now been accelerated,' a Lebanese government source said.