Families flee clashes in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

Dozens of families fled the Ain alHilweh Palestinian refugee camp, located outside the Lebanese city of Sidon, on Tuesday after clashes broke out between rival factions, which have so far left two dead and 14 wounded.

Combatants from the Fatah nationalist movement and Islamist militant group Jund alSham began fighting on Monday night into Tuesday, breaking the ceasefire and affecting several Sidon neighborhoods near the camp, according to official Lebanese NNA news agency.

Fatah noted in a statement that “the attack of the extremists failed,” adding that it was ready to respond to all attacks and advance into their rivals’ territory, including large areas of the refugee camp.

The Lebanese army responded by blocking all roads leading to Ain alHilweh.

Relative calm prevailed in the camp following Aug. 23, when a ceasefire was reached between the both parties, yet the security situation was nonetheless jeopardized after an assassination attempt of the head of camp security, Abu Ashraf Armoushi, on Aug. 22.

Only the entrances and exits of the refugee camp are under surveillance by the Lebanese army, leaving the safety of its interior to the Palestinian popular committees.