Deadly fighting continues in Lebanon, at least 6 killed
Sep 13, 2023
Beirut [Lebanon], September 14 : At least six people have been killed and more than a dozen have sustained serious injuries in clashes in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian camp on Wednesday, reported Al Jazeera.
The clashes intensified on Wednesday after a ceasefire in the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon fell apart. As numerous ceasefire deals have failed to hold, thousands of civilians have been forced to move to safer locations.
The clashes started on September 7 and have only grown strong with every pasisng day.
Since last week, the refugee camp has been rocked by violence, with members of the Fatah movement, which governs the camp, fighting armed fighters.
Fatah and its allies had planned to crack down on suspects accused of assassinating a top Fatah military leader in the camp in late July. More than a dozen people were killed in the initial wave of violence, according to Al Jazeera.
The conflict has displaced hundreds of people, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Many people have sought refuge in local mosques, schools, and the Sidon Municipal Building. UNRWA has shifted approximately 1,200 people from a mosque at the camp's entrance to nearby schools, Al Jazeera reported.
According to the United Nations, Ein el-Hilweh, one of 12 refugee camps distributed around Lebanon, is home to approximately 55,000 registered refugees.