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NAHR AL-BARED (AFP) - Sniper fire Saturday again halted the exodus of civilians from a Lebanon refugee camp that has been gripped by violent clashes between Islamists and the army, residents said.

Shehadeh Sayed told AFP by telephone from inside the camp that his family had attempted to leave Nahr al-Bared but they were forced back by sniper fire in their direction.

Residents had complained that on Friday too they were hampered by sniper fire from joining the exodus, which began when a truce took hold on Tuesday after three days of fierce fighting.

The Lebanese army insists it is placing no obstacle in the way of civilians escaping fighting that has left 78 people dead and the impoverished camp of more than 30,000 people severely damaged.

But witnesses said no refugees had managed to leave the battered camp since Friday.

Relief officials have expressed concern for the estimated 20,000 civilians who remain in the Nahr al-Bared camp where intense shelling by the Lebanese army earlier this week has left houses scarred with shrapnel and reduced cars to burnt out hulks.

Sporadic fire took place in the area during the night, according an army officer who did not wish to be identified.

The refugee camp is under tight siege by the Lebanese army which is attempting to flush out Islamist extremists who attacked its forces on Sunday.

The Lebanese army accused Fatah al-Islam fighters on Thursday of using civilians as "human shields" and warned that it would retaliate if it came under renewed fire from the militants, who declared a unilateral ceasefire on Tuesday.