More than 300 militants have been killed in clashes with the Lebanese Army over the past 48 days, with the army losing at least 84 servicemen.
Lebanese security forces have arrested 28 Fatah al-Islam fighters, including 17 Lebanese, one Palestinian, six Syrians, and four Saudi Arabians.
The Lebanese Army has amassed equipment and troops around the Nahr al-Bared camp in an operation to eliminate the last of the Fatah al-Islam extremist group, a Lebanese newspaper reported earlier.
The Lebanese military took up positions within "a new camp" in Nahr al-Bared, 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the north of Beirut. The "old camp," where Fatah al-Islam militants retreated under pressure from Army forces, is surrounded by Lebanese troops.
The Ad-Diyar paper said the Islamic militants, who have sustained substantial losses in clashes with the army, "can no longer offer prolonged resistance to Lebanese troops," adding that the number of militants in the area is no more than 50.
Most of the territory surrounding the refugee camp is a conglomerate of multi-story buildings seriously damaged in clashes between the Lebanese Army and Palestinian militants that have been continuing since May 20.
The Lebanese military command has demanded the unconditional surrender of Fatah al-Islam, reportedly linked to al-Qaeda, and refused to conduct direct talks with the Islamist group.
Under the Cairo Agreement signed between Lebanon and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1969, the Lebanese Army cannot cross the camp's official boundaries defined by the UN.
