On Thursday night, armed clashes erupted between Fatah and other armed groups in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, a little over a month after a ceasefire ended days of violence in the camp, according to the Lebanese National News Agency.
A large number of residents of the camp were displaced from their homes due to the renewed fighting, as the militants fired RPGs and machine guns toward each other.
The Palestinian Joint Action Authority in Lebanon urged a return to the ceasefire, stating “We call for a ceasefire in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, to make way for the joint Palestinian security force in the camp and the Joint Action Authority in Sidon to carry out their duties and implement what has been entrusted to them.”
The escalation of the conflict triggered a massive wave of displacements, primarily in the camp’s emergency quarters and its adjoining streets.
A representative from the Palestinian National Committee told the Arab World Press (AWP) that the catalyst for these confrontations stemmed from the reluctance of certain “Islamic” factions to hand over individuals implicated in last July’s assassination of the head of Palestinian National Security, Brigadier Al-Armoushi.
“An initial deadline had been established for the suspects to be turned in by the preceding day, but it was subsequently extended to today,” the representative commented.
Further information from the source revealed that due to the procrastination of groups in the Saffsaf district of the camp in surrendering the accused, there’s been a heightened state of preparedness over recent days. “This necessitated a strategic positioning of Palestinian forces, predominantly Fatah, in regions close to where the sought-after factions are based.”
Currently, there are no reports of any casualties resulting from these clashes.
