EAC reviews combat at Nahr el-barad; security threat level

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