The situation in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon has escalated once again, despite the ceasefire agreement announced on July 31 between Fatah fighters and extremist groups. Al Mayadeen reported that fierce street shootings, continuing for the third day, forced more than 2,000 residents to leave their homes and seek safety outside the camp.
Medical sources have reported that the death toll from the clashes has risen to 11, with 54 people injured.
Ihsan Ataya, a member of the Islamic Jihad leadership, revealed that talks to resume the truce between the factions will continue on August 1. He stated that an agreement was reached to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of Fatah military commander Abu Ashraf al-Armoushi, who was assassinated on July 30. According to Ataya, the assassination of the Fatah commander was the trigger for the armed clashes. He called on the fighters to cease shooting and vacate the streets of Ain al-Hilweh camp to restore calm.
Jihad Taha, the spokesman for Fatah movement in Lebanon, emphasized that the conflict in the camp was instigated at a critical moment when efforts were underway, with Egyptian mediation, to unite Palestinian factions. He accused those seeking to destabilize the Palestinian unity of being behind the disturbances in Ain al-Hilweh.
Outbreaks of armed clashes in the camp, which houses members of extremist groups, had previously occurred in March and May 2023, but they were not as intense.
Ain al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, is home to 85,000 residents. Lebanon hosts a total of 12 Palestinian camps, which enjoy internal autonomy, and the overall refugee population is estimated at 450,000.
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Photo: IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS