Intensified clashes between rival factions in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp kill 5

BEIRUT — Clashes intensified Wednesday in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp, leaving not less than 5 folks {dead} and greater than a dozen wounded, Lebanese state media and safety officers mentioned. Scores of civilians have been pressured to flee to safer areas.

The most recent deaths carry to 11 the variety of folks killed for the reason that preventing erupted once more in Ein el-Hilweh camp close to the southern port metropolis of Sidon on Sept. 7, regardless of a number of cease-fire agreements.

Stray bullets hit residential areas outdoors the camp, together with a number of that struck a fireplace engine as firefighters had been battling a blaze close to a military submit, the state-run Nationwide Information Company mentioned. The blaze was not associated to the camp preventing.

The preventing broke our final week after almost a month of calm in Ein el-Hilweh between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah group and members of militant Islamic factions.

Fatah and different allied factions had supposed to crack down on suspects accused of killing a senior Fatah navy official within the camp in late July.

NNA reported that among the many 5 killed on Wednesday had been three Fatah members. It mentioned 15 folks had been additionally wounded within the clashes.

A prime official with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to push for an finish to clashes with no success.

Ein el-Hilweh is house to some 55,000 folks in line with the United Nations, and is infamous for its lawlessness and violence.

Lebanon is house to tens of 1000’s of Palestinian refugees and their descendants. Many stay within the 12 refugee camps which are scattered across the small Mediterranean nation. Ein el-Hilweh was established in 1948 to deal with Palestinians who had been displaced when Israel was established.