Hell broke loose in Lebanon

Where can one begin? Clashes between the Islamic militants known as Fatah Al Islam and the Lebanese troops in North Lebanon started around 2 am last Sunday 20 May. Hanging by a thin line of truce that took place 4 hours ago, a hope for the truce to hold on. This conflict has been taking place for the last 3 days in the surroundings of Nahr Al Bared Camp, a Palestinian refugee camp, situated near Tripoli where the islamic militants (which is not associated to Fatah movement) were hiding and shooting at the Lebanese army, which in turn had responded severely. Moreover, the army had surrounded Abdo Building in Tripoli near the Miten road, of where it was said the militants are hiding. So far, there are 31 martyrs from the soldiers, tens of civilians and militants dead and more than a hundred injured.

This may sound enough for one day, however clashes and gun-fires are not all what has been happening in Lebanon in the past cursed 3 days. On Sunday night, a little before midnight, Beirut and the near suburbs woke up to a loud noise and shattering glass when an explosion in a parking near the popular ABC Mall was caused by a planted 15 KG TNT, killing a 65 year old woman died, and wounding several, from the shattered glass from the high pressure that fell on them while they were at their houses.

The Lebanese woke up the next Monday, hoping for a truce between the recent battles and still shocked of the last day's explosion, yet got disappointed once again by a so called cease-fire between 4pm and 6pm that afternoon for the reason to allow the Red Cross and other aid vehicles to go in the refugee camp and rescue the wounded and take the dead. Unfortunately, the cease-fire was broken, and fires did not wait for the aid to get out.

Usually, in the past 2 years and 3 months, the explosions that took place since Hariri's assassinations were more than 1 week apart. On Monday night, another explosion blasted in Verdun near a commercial and inhabited area wounding 7 and causing a lot of material damage and fire, setting a new record of less than 24 hours between 2 explosions

Thousands of people are taking advantage of the late truce Tuesday night and are fleeing the Nahr Al Barid camp to the Baddawi camp, also in Tripoli (North Lebanon). The Lebanese Army were shooting at several locations inside the camp, locations from which gun-fire erupted.  To this outcome, Abou Al Aynayn, the general secretary of the Islamic movement in Lebanon, said that the Palestinian camps will respond to this random fire if it does not stop.

Before the truce was decided, the Islamic movement (Fatah Al Islam) threatened to expand their terror to outside Tripoli to reach Beirut. Having said that, this group has denied any relation to the 2 blasts that happened in Beirut in the last 2 days.

On the social level, the Lebanese people are trying in their humble means to support their Lebanese Army who is fighting gracefully and with dignity and who has lost a lot so far. They are showing their support by creating groups on facebook, placing a flower in their messenger's nicknames, circulating messages and e-mails of support and sympathy. Moreover, a warning e-mail is being forwarded among the Lebanese, telling people to avoid being at several major places and areas, as they maybe dangerous and more eligible to have an explosion.

People at work have their cellphone's tuned into the local news radio station all day, checking up on the recents updates that were happening in the North, and refreshing every minute local news websites to see what worse things can happen.

It's a little more than 10 pm, and the Lebanese are waiting and afraid of hearing another loud blast, in hope that they won't hear it, and the 3 days from hell will end.