The Lebanese military today said it had largely defeated al-Qaida-inspired Islamic militants, over-running their positions inside a Palestinian refugee camp, but gunfire and artillery blasts continued as troops pursued remaining fighters.

Lebanon’s defence minister declared victory over the Fatah Islam militant group, saying it had been crushed after a month-long military assault on its stronghold in a northern refugee camp.

LEBANESE troops bombed Islamic militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp yesterday, as mediators met senior military officials to discuss a possible ceasefire deal that would disarm the al-Qaida-inspired fighters.

Lebanon’s army today pounded al Qaida-inspired Islamic militants hiding in a Palestinian refugee camp in renewed heavy clashes following a few days of intermittent fighting.

Lebanese troops pounded Islamic militants hiding in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon today, on the fifth straight day of the military's sustained assault to crush the Fatah Islam fighters.

Lebanon’s army pounded Islamic militant hideouts in a northern Palestinian refugee camp as the military tried to flush out al Qaida-linked fighters who have been hiding there.

Dozens of Lebanese army tanks and armoured carriers today pushed forward under the cover of artillery barrages against Islamic militants barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah warned Lebanon not to storm a besieged Palestinian refugee camp, calling instead for a negotiated solution.

A group claiming to be an al-Qaida branch in Syria and Lebanon threatened in an online video today to attack Lebanon's military and its tourist venues if troops do not halt operations against Islamic militants in a Palestinian refugee camp.

Lebanon’s prime minister vowed to wipe out an Islamic militant group barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp, raising the prospect that the army will either storm the camp or dig in for a long siege to force its surrender.

Lebanon's prime minister today vowed to wipe out an Islamic militant group barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp.

A senior official of a radical Palestinian faction today warned that if the Lebanese army launches an assault to wipe out an Islamic militant group barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp, it would trigger violence in other camps.

Artillery and machine gun fire echoed around a crowded Palestinian refugee camp today as the Lebanese government ordered the army to finish off the Fatah Islam militants hiding there.

Artillery and machine gun fire echoed around a crowded Palestinian refugee camp today as fighting resumed between besieging Lebanese troops and Islamic militants holed up inside, ending a nighttime lull.

Lebanese troops tightened a siege of a Palestinian refugee camp today where a group suspected of ties to al-Qaida was hiding.

LEBANESE troops battled Islamist militants based in a Palestinian refugee camp yesterday and more than 40 people were killed in Lebanon’s bloodiest internal fighting since the 1975-90 civil war.