Ceasefire disregarded in Lebanon's Ain Al-Hilweh as clashes ensue

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
1 Aug 2023 16:00
1 Shares

Clashes in Ain Al-Hilweh rage between the Fatah movement on one side and the extremist groups including Jund Al-Sham and Fatah Al-Islam.

Smoke billows during clashes between the Fatah movement and extremists inside the Ain Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, Lebanon's largest, in the southern coastal city of Saida on July 31, 2023. (AFP)

Violent clashes between the Fatah movement and Islamist extremist groups ensue for the third consecutive day in the Ain Al-Hilweh camp for Palestinian refugees, in Saida, Lebanon, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Tuesday.

Despite continuous efforts to reach a cease-fire in the camp and a supposed agreement Monday afternoon, our correspondent reported intermittent clashes in the camp, adding that the eastern highway that goes through the city of Saida remains blocked by Lebanese authorities for security reasons.

Armed clashes spurred up in the camp after the commander of the Palestinian National Security Forces in Saida, Abu Ashraf Al-Armoushi, was assassinated on Sunday.

Footage showing some scenes from the on-again-off-again clashes in Ain Al-Hilweh Camp in #Saida, Southern #Lebanon, which have so far resulted in the death of 11 individuals.#عين_الحلوة #صيدا https://t.co/VqKaEYV4kp
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 1, 2023

An official from the Fatah movement told Al Mayadeen's correspondent that "the assassination of the commander of Al-Armoushi, had been planned in advance," adding that "the main premise to the solution in Ain Al-Hilweh is the extradition of the one who assassinated the leader, Al-Armoushi."

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated that the clashes have resulted in 11 deaths and over 40 injuries as of Monday night.

Palestinian factions condemn the clashes

In response to the events unfolding in Ain al-Hilweh, Palestinian resistance factions expressed their condemnation and rejection of the internal fighting, which poses a significant threat to the security and stability of the people and the camps. They viewed the clashes as a grave injustice to the Palestinian cause and the Resistance.

In a joint statement released after a meeting Palestinian factions emphasized that the clashes serve the interest of the occupation and are part of attempts to fuel discord in Palestinian camps specifically in Lebanon to undermine Palestinian refugee's right to return.

The resistance factions urged decision-makers to take responsibility for healing the rift, containing the crisis, and resorting to dialogue, with a concerted effort to redirect their efforts towards combatting the Israeli occupation.

On Monday, Al Mayadeen's correspondent also noted that "There possibility that the fighting might expand as the Ain Al-Hilweh camp clashes intensify," adding that light weapons and RPGs are being used in the ongoing clashes.

As a result, the correspondent confirmed that "More than 40 apartments were destroyed, as a result of the clashes in the camp, pointing to rising plumes of smoke, after targeting a house with an RPG."