Violent confrontations broke out yesterday evening, Thursday, in the Palestinian refugee camp Ain al-Khilwa between extreme Islamic factions and militants from the Palestinian Fatah movement, which led to the escape of hundreds of residents.
According to the sources, the clashes were concentrated in the rehabilitated areas of the camp, which last July also witnessed violent clashes that led to the death of 11 members of the Fatah movement and the extremist factions.
Lebanese sources denied that two Fatah fighters were killed as a result of the violent clashes that caused a mass escape movement outside the camp in search of safe places. According to the sources, the escapees from the camp went to Sidon and the nearby areas.
An official Palestinian official confirmed to the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Nahar" that "the extremist Islamic elements were the ones who started shooting in order to prevent the joint Palestinian force from deploying on Friday morning at the UNRA school assembly."
According to him, "These groups see their presence in this gathering as the first line of defense for their presence in the alleys and streets of the camp and in the rehabilitated neighborhood - Ein al-Hilwa al-Tatani."
The source also confirmed that "the Fatah movement and the forces in the Palestinian Joint Action Committee have no intention of starting any battle against the extremists."
Ain al-Khilwa camp is the largest and most crowded Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, and it situated near to the Lebanese city of Sidon.
About 400,000 Palestinian refugees live in 12 camps in Lebanon, dating back to the 1948 war between Israel and the Arab countries, and these camps are mostly outside the control of the Lebanese security services.