Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) representative Abbas Zaki on Wednesday said it would not interfere if the Lebanese army decide to enter and storm the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp where the Fatah al-Islam militants are holed up.

"This is a Lebanese decision," Zaki told reporters in Bkiriki where he held talks with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Wednesday.

"We have declared that the country is for Lebanon and sovereignty is for Lebanon, and whatever Lebanon decides or considers its higher interests, we support it," he said.

Since Tuesday night, a truce between the army and the Fatah al- Islam militants has taken hold in the camp. However, Lebanon has vowed to wipe out the militants who had been locked in days of gun- battles with government troops around Nahr al-Bared.

Fatah al-Islam's spokesman Abu Salim Taha said on Wednesday the group would abide by a truce but vowed its militants would not surrender.

"We respect the truce, but we will not surrender. If we are attacked, we will fight until the last drop of blood," Abu Salim said.

"The civilians are free to exit the camp. We will not stop them," he added.

Nahr al-Bared camp is home to some 40,000 Palestinian refugees, and under a 38-year-old deal, the army do not enter the Palestinian refugee camps.

Since Tuesday night, about 10,000 civilians have fled the camp, where three days of fighting had left dozens killed and even more injured.

Source: Xinhua