Palestinian factions in the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh succeeded Sunday in reaching a ceasefire agreement between the Fatah Movement and Jund al-Sham after an urgent meeting in al-Nour Mosque.
The meeting was mediated by Hamas representative in Lebanon Ali Barakeh and officials from Asbat al-Ansar.
Asbat al-Ansar was able to extract a pledge from Jund al-Sham and Fatah to halt clashes beginning at 12:30 p.m.
Secretary of the Fatah Movement Brig. Gen. Maher Shabayta, who carried out negotiations with the militants, confirmed to The Daily Star that the group ordered its 300 fighters to abide by the ceasefire even if they came under attack.
“We are committed to restoring calm and peace for our people,” he said.
A rally kicked off shortly after ceasefire went into effect, advocating for the end of armed groups within the camp. It was organized by al-Hirak al-Shaabi, a collection of civil peace organizations from Ain al-Hilweh.
Two people were wounded Sunday after violent clashes began anew in Ain al-Hilweh between the Fatah Movement and Jund al-Sham.
The clashes occurred in the camp's Taware and al-Barakshat neighborhoods, where Jund al-Sham militants, a notorious group tied to al-Qaeda, and Fatah fighters were positioned respectively.
Machine guns and mortars were employed in the clashes, with shelling directly targeting a house in Taware.
Fatah Movement had taken control of all hospitals in Ain al-Hilweh, compelling Jund al-Sham to treat its wounded fighters in private homes, a source told The Daily Star.
Fighting broke out after three members of the Fatah Movement were killed Saturday and 15 people wounded in clashes with Jund al-Sham, following a failed assassination attempt against Abu Ashraf al-Armoushi, the leader of the Palestinian National Security faction, in Ain al-Hilweh.
A previous ceasefire temporarily halted the fighting but was subsquently violated around 7.30 p.m. Saturday.
Jund al-Sham is also suspected in the killing of Fatah commander Talal al-Urduni in the camp last month, after which Armoushi, who is responsible for a Fatah checkpoint on Tahtani street, ordered soldiers to prevent any extremists from passing.
The checkpoint separates the camp from the annexed Taware camp, a neighborhood notorious for hosting members of groups designated as terrorists by Lebanon and the international community.
The Lebanese army also boosted its security presence at the entrances of Ain al-Hilweh, allowing only the wounded and those fleeing the battles to leave the camp.
By Mohammed Zaatari
This story has been edited from the source material.
