NAHR AL-BARED (Lebanon), June 12: Lebanese commandos have blown up the home of the Islamist militia chief in a besieged refugee camp where fighting flared again on Tuesday in the fourth week of a deadly standoff.

Clouds of white smoke billowed into the sky as the army shelled Fatah al-Islam positions in the Nahr al-Bared camp, the site of the deadliest fighting in decades that has ignited UN fears about wider civil strife in the deeply divided country.

“The army has succeeded to progress on the seafront of the northern side of the camp, and has further approached Fatah al-Islam positions which are now at a close range from its automatic weapons,” a spokesman said.

A special forces unit on Monday destroyed the house of Shaker al-Abssi, leader of the Al Qaeda inspired militia which has been battling troops from its stronghold in the north Lebanon camp since May 20. “They destroyed the house after seizing important documents,” a military spokesman said.

A Palestinian source confirmed that the house on the Mediterranean shores of the shantytown was destroyed by navy commandos after they first clashed with militants.—AFP