NAHR AL-BARED - Thousands of people on Sunday thronged toward a refugee camp in northern Lebanon chanting patriotic songs and throwing rice to mark the end of a standoff between the army and militants.
Convoys of cars and pick-up trucks, some with people sitting on the rooftops, packed a highway that runs near Nahr al-Bared camp, honking their horns and flashing victory signs.
Troops fired into the air to mark their joy at the end of the standoff between the army and Fatah al-Islam militants that began on May 20.
"The shots you are hearing are celebratory shots, the camp has fallen," an army officer told AFP.
Men, women and children could also be seen walking on foot toward the area waving Lebanon's red and white flag as others stood on rooftops throwing rice and screaming patriotic slogans.
Some also danced the Dabkeh, Lebanon's traditional dance, to the sound of drums, or the Tabla, and clapped as army troops drove by.
Soldiers hugged and kissed each other and could be heard saying "Mabrouk" or congratulations in Arabic.
"This marks a victory for Lebanon because we got rid of this gang of criminals which destroyed our houses, our businesses and our lives," said Amina Sakr, who was carrying a child and was accompanied by about 25 members of her family.
The army seized control of the camp on Sunday after Fatah al-Islam militants launched a desperate bid overnight to flee. At least 37 were killed and more than a dozen were captured by the army.
Operations were still underway by early evening Sunday to nab any of the Al-Qaeda-inspired militants who may have fled, an army spokesman said.
At least 200 people have died in the standoff, with the army saying 158 of its soldiers were killed.
Residents of nearby villages said they saw troops kill or capture some of the militants as they tried to flee.
"At 6:00 am I saw troops seize four bearded men dressed in black and kill three others they had surrounded in a lemon grove," said Mohammed Ahmad Hafza, 18, a farmer from the hilltop village of Muhammara some two kilometres (more than a mile) east of the camp.
Marzouk al-Mir, 21, also from Muhammara, said that about three hours later he saw soldiers nab another of the Al-Qaeda-inspired militants in the village.
"He was dark-skinned, had a long beard and he was wearing black pants and a black T-shirt," Mir said. "He was holding an M16 rifle and the soldiers found gold pieces in his pocket.
"His T-shirt bore the inscription 'There is no God but God and Muhammed is his prophet'," he added.
Zuhair al-Bahsa, 26, a carpenter, said militants attacked army positions in the village at dawn, killing one soldier and wounding another.
"The battles between the two sides raged from 4:00 am to 7:00 am and I saw troops capture four militants," Bahsa said.
Zaki Wehbe, a labourer, said people living in the area would not agree to the return of Palestinian refugees to the camp if any were armed.
"They are responsible for hosting Fatah al-Islam, so we do not trust them now. We will hold demonstrations if any are allowed to come back here with their weapons," he said.
Most of the camp's registered 31,000-strong population of Palestinian refugees fled when the fighting broke out, with many now crammed into another already overcrowded camp at Beddawi some 10 kilometres (six miles) to the south.
09/02/2007 14:39 GMT