Fresh clashes in Lebanon's Palestinian refugee camp leave many dead, injured

Five people have been killed in renewed clashes between rival Palestinian groups in the Ein El Hilweh refugee camp in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese media.

Fifty-two other people were also injured in the violence that erupted between the Fatah movement and armed groups in the camp on Sunday, the National News Agency reported.

Fighting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement and other armed factions has rocked the El Hilweh refugee camp since Friday.

Sounds of heavy weapons and shells were heard across the camp.

The Lebanese army, for its part, said five soldiers were also injured when shells struck a military site near the camp.

Established in 1948, Ein El Hilweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon with 50,000 registered people, according to figures released by the UN, while unofficial statistics put the camp’s population at 70,000 people.

The total number of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is estimated to be around 200,000, distributed among 12 camps, most of which are under the control of the Palestinian factions.

Lebanese officials, security agencies and the UN have urged the warring factions to agree on a ceasefire. The interim chief of Lebanon’s General Security agency Elias al Baysari said that he will attend a Monday meeting between Palestinian factions and urge the factions to reach a resolution.

The clashing factions in the camp said in a statement published Sunday by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency that they planned to abide by a ceasefire.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said hundreds of families displaced from the camp have taken shelter in nearby mosques, schools and the Sidon municipality building.

The UN agency and local organisations are setting up additional shelters after Lebanon's prime minister and interior minister shut down an initiative by the municipality, the Lebanese Red Cross, and local community groups to set up a few dozen tents for families.

Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics set up stations at the camp's entrance to treat the wounded and provided food packages to displaced families.