Rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Jund al-Sham are set for another confrontation in Sidon’s notorious refugee camp, after the former blocked the northwest entrance to Ain al-Hilweh Thursday.
Fatah Movement members barred Jund al-Sham from using the entrance and accessing different neighborhoods in the camp, a Palestinian security source told The Daily Star.
The group has said that it would not allow its rivals to pass through their checkpoints following a spate of tit-for-tat assassinations between the rival factions, the source said.
Jund al-Sham responded by saying that it would enter by force if they are barred from accessing the entrance to the camp, the source noted.
The move comes after Fatah received orders from Ramallah to enforce a security plan aimed at protecting its positions in the camp.
The plan, which was implemented early Thursday, saw Fatah movement members fortifying their 20 positions in the camp and reinforcing their military posts.
The beefed up security measures come amid simmering tensions between Fatah and Jund al-Sham following Saturday’s killing of Fatah commander Col. Talal Urduni and his nephew.
Talal Maqdah, a Fatah Movement fighter, and Diab Mohammad, a civilian, were also killed in separate shootings in the camp Wednesday.
By Mohammed Zaatari
