Clashes in Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon after Fatah member killed

Overnight clashes at a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon left at least one person killed and more wounded.

Clashes erupted overnight Wednesday in Ain al-Hilweh - the largest of Lebanon’s 12 official Palestinian camps – after a Fatah movement member was reportedly killed in a scuffle with Islamists, local media said.

Some reports said those Islamists were affiliated to the Jund al-Sham militant group.

The fighting renewed in the early hours of Thursday morning before calm returned to the camp.

Machine guns and RPGs were used in the clashes, which could be heard throughout the coastal city of Sidon where Ain al-Hilweh is located.

اشتباكات عنيفة داخل مخيم عين الحلوة في صيدا pic.twitter.com/NNRDNoPhAr

— صيدا أون لاين (@SaidaOnline_com) March 1, 2023

تجدد الاشتباكات في عين الحلوة إثر وفاة جريح (الوكالة الوطنية) pic.twitter.com/PVvXJkBHtB

— bintjbeil.org (@bintjbeilnews) March 1, 2023

Armed clashes are common in the camp, where rival Palestinian factions are located and where fugitives from Lebanese authorities often flee.

Ain el-Hilweh, like other refugee camps, falls outside the jurisdiction of the Lebanese security services, and are governed by joint Palestinian security forces.

An estimated 120,000 Palestinian refugees live in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. Nearly 500,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon overall.

They are the descendants of Palestinians who were forcibly expelled from their homes by Israel during the 1948 Nakba.

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are subjected to widespread restrictions by the Lebanese state and are barred from working in many jobs.