Communists trying to infiltrate military, AFP official warns

NAHR AL-BARED (AFP) - Fears for thousands of civilians caught in the Lebanese army's siege of Islamist militants grew Sunday as those brave enough to escape told harrowing tales of survival.

The United Nations made an urgent appeal for the safety of children among an estimated 10,000 mainly Palestinian civilians caught in the crossfire at the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, where the Islamist gunmen are holed up.

Lebanese troops encircled the camp a week ago, when fighting broke out with Fatah al-Islam militants that has killed 78 people, forced thousands to flee and trapped thousands more in unbearable conditions.

Residents related how they dodged sniper fire from Fatah al-Islam, a shadowy Sunni Muslim extremist group which has been accused of targeting fleeing civilians to keep the camp's population as human shields.