Six U.N. peacekeepers who were in Lebanon to help the Lebanese military keep the peace have been killed in what has been described as a premeditated attack.

Three Spaniards and two Colombians were among the dead. The nationality of the sixth was not reported.

About a half-dozen bombs have exploded in Beirut and other communities since late May.

During the same period, fighting erupted between the Lebanese army and Fatah al-Islam, a Sunni extremist group based in a Palestinian refugee camp near the northern city of Tripoli.

More than 100 people, including Lebanese and Palestinian civilians, have been killed in the fighting between the militants and Lebanese forces since May 20.

Late Saturday night, security forces raided an apartment in Tripoli and found an arms cache inside, protected by six members of an isolated Sunni extremist group, authorities said. A gun battle ensued, and the six extremists were among those killed. Lebanese officials said the fighters included three Saudis and had no known links to Fatah al-Islam or al-Qaeda.

The dead also included four members of a family living in the same apartment building. Neighbor Bassam Sardouk said the fighters entered the family’s apartment to use the occupants as human shields in their battle with the army.

Human shields seem to be the favored body armor for these pigs.