A Palestinian Killed in Shooting in Ain el-Hilweh

A Palestinian national was killed early on Tuesday in Sidon's refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh when unknown assailants on a motorcycle shot him and fled, the National News Agency said.

“Early Tuesday unknown assailants opened fire on Palestinian Ali al-Bahti in al-Tahtani street in the refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh,” NNA said.

“He was seriously injured and was taken to a hospital situated in the camp. The victim's family started firing gunshots in the air in protest.”

The camp is home to about 50,000 refugees who live in dire conditions.

Such incidents have become frequent in recent years in Ain el-Hilweh, the largest of Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps.

By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not enter the Palestinian camps in the country, leaving the Palestinian factions themselves to handle security.

That has created lawless areas in many camps, and Ain el-Hilweh has gained notoriety as a refuge for extremists and fugitives.