Ain el-Hilweh Rocked by Fierce Clashes for Sixth Day

Armed clashes intensified Tuesday afternoon in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh in the southern city of Sidon, state-run National News Agency reported.

According to NNA, the sounds of rocket-propelled grenades and heavy gunfire were echoing across the camp's al-Tiri neighborhood, the bastion of the small Islamist groups led by the militants Bilal Badr and Bilal al-Orqoub.

The clashes are pitting the two groups against the secular Fatah Movement and the Joint Palestinian Security Force.

“Since the morning hours, the camp had been witnessing intermittent gunfire, while at noon the Fatah Movement scoured areas inside al-Tiri neighborhood after seizing control and hoisting flags on seven houses previously containing militants loyal to Badr and al-Orqoub,” NNA said.

“Two houses went up in flames after being targeted by RPGs,” the agency added.

It said the heavy fighting is concentrated on the frontiers of al-Tiri, al-Suhoun and the vegetable market and that the sounds of shelling were echoing across the camp.

A ceasefire agreement had been reached on Monday evening after a meeting at the house of Usbat al-Ansar official Sheikh Abu Tarek al-Saadi, TV networks said.

Several such agreements have so far failed to put an end to the fighting.

The clashes first broke out Thursday when gunmen from Badr's small group opened fire on a position of Palestinian security forces inside Ain al-Hilweh, a Palestinian source said.

Several people have been killed and injured in the violence while dozens of families have been forced to flee the camp and seek shelter in the city of Sidon.