More Lebanese troops were killed Saturday as the army pressed ahead with an offensive to uproot al-Qaeda-inspired gunmen, pounding their hideouts in a Palestinian refugee camp with artillery.
Three more troops were killed and five wounded Saturday, military officials said, leaving the army with five dead and 15 wounded since the offensive started Friday.
Lebanese security officials said dozens of gunmen from the Fatah Islam group had been killed or wounded in the fighting since Friday.
Abu Hureira, deputy leader of Fatah Islam, conceded his fighters abandoned some positions in the northern end of the Nahr el-Bared camp in a "tactical" withdrawal. But he denied the army was advancing and vowed never to surrender.
"Morale was high. Let them come. We are ready," he said of the army, denying media reports that he and the leader, Shaker Youssef al-Absi were injured. According to the AP, Abu Hureira said he was on the front line fighting off the army attack and al-Absi was safe in rear positions.
The army deaths raised to 37 the number of soldiers killed since fighting between the army and militants began on May 20.
Security officials said Saturday that military units continued "mop up of pockets" of resistance on the outskirts of the camp and its perimeter. The officials said the organizational skeleton of the group had been destroyed and that some fighters had sought refuge inside the camp.
