LEBANON: EAC REVIEWS COMBAT AT NAHR EL-BARAD;

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIRUT 000782 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/MARCHESE/HARDING E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2012 TAGS: ASEC PTER CASC AMGT LE SUBJECT: LEBANON: EAC REVIEWS COMBAT AT NAHR EL-BARAD; SECURITY THREAT LEVEL REF: BEIRUT 780 (DTG 011421Z JUN 07) Classified By: Jeffrey Feltman, Ambassador. Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On June 2 at 1300 hrs. local, the DCM chaired a full emergency action committee (EAC) meeting to review the status of military operations at the Nahr el-Barad Palestinian refugee camp and related security threats throughout Lebanon. The EAC agreed to lift the suspension of all off-compound personal moves, with such moves to be reviewed for approval on a case by case basis with emphasis on restricting moves to low threat areas. ¶2. (C) Embassy Defense Attache provided a summary of military activity at the Nahr el-Barad Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, based on his briefing from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) General Staff that occurred two hours earlier. Details are reported in other messages. In general, the second day of combat at Nahr el-Barad had found continued resistance from Fatah el-Islam fighters, house-to-house fighting, high LAF morale, and some additional LAF casualties. At this time, it was difficult to predict how long combat operations would continue, with a possible range of several days to up to two weeks. The next two to three days may give a better indication of how long the fighting will persist. The LAF has seized flat terrain within the camp that is relatively easy to take; the majority of the camp presents more difficult challenges, and fighting is most intense in two principal areas. ¶3. (C) Lebanese security service officials have characterized the overall security situation in the country as "tense but stable" in their conversations with EAC members. In this context, the EAC agreed to lift the suspension of all off-compound personal moves (reftel). Off-compound personal moves will be assessed by the Embassy Front Office and RSO with respect to minimizing travel to areas of higher risk, such as street-side restaurants or shopping malls. Embassy staff will continue to exercise the prudent judgment that they have practiced during the past week in requesting off-compound travel. ¶4. (C) The ODC representative reviewed the schedule of anticipated U.S. military flights into Beirut International Airport during the next several days. ¶5. (C) The consular chief reported that he had dispatched an updated warden message to the American community in Lebanon on the evening of June 1. There are no immediate plans for further warden messages. ¶6. (C) The EAC agreed to re-convene on June 4 at 1300 hrs. local. FELTMAN