Report: Security Forces Assure 'Situation under Control' Despite Fighting in Refugee Camps

After the sudden clashes that erupted recently in two Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the country's security forces have affirmed on Thursday that the “situation is fully under control, and efforts are underway to stop any attempts aiming to trigger chaos,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

“The clashes were the result of personal disputes,” assured the sources to the daily, “but investigations are under way to find out the circumstances and whether there were any attempts seeking to trigger tension,” they said.

“The general the situation is under control. The military and security forces are completely ready to prevent any breach aiming to destabilize the situation,” assured the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

On Wednesday, clashes with machineguns and rocket-propelled grenades erupted between the Fatah al-Intifada and al-Saeqa groups at the Shatila Palestinian refugee camp on Beirut's southern edges killing and wounding several.

Similar clashes erupted two days ago in the Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp.

By long-standing convention, the Lebanese Army does not enter the twelve Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, leaving the Palestinian factions themselves to handle security.

That has created lawless areas in many camps, some of which contain extremists and fugitives.

More than 450,000 Palestinians are registered in Lebanon with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA. Most live in squalid conditions in 12 official refugee camps and face a variety of legal restrictions, including on their employment.