ALBAWABA- Ain al-Hilweh camp, located near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, is witnessing intense clashes between Palestinian factions since yesterday. The fighting involves the use of various weapons, including mortar shells, RBG, and AK47s, leading to tens of Palestinians being killed and wounded.
According to Palestinian officials, the violence began when an unidentified gunman attempted to kill Islamist militant Mahmoud Khalil, but instead, his companion was killed in the attack.
In the subsequent events, Islamist militants shot and killed a Palestinian military general from the Fatah group along with three escorts while they were walking through a car park, as reported by another Palestinian official.
The Ain al-Hilweh camp, which houses over 50,000 Palestinian refugees, has a history of lawlessness and violence, making such clashes not uncommon. Established in 1948 to accommodate Palestinians displaced by the Israeli occupation forces during the establishment of Israel, the camp has been a volatile area.
Due to the ongoing clashes and escalating fatalities, the Lebanese army has taken the step of closing the entrances to Ain al-Hilweh camp, in an effort to contain the situation.
