Shooting Erupts in Ain el-Hilweh Following Fatah al-Islam Member Death

The death of a Fatah al-Islam member in Ain el-Hilweh near the southern city of Sidon on Wednesday evening sparked a heavy exchange of fire in the camp, which lead to the injury of one person.

"An elderly man was wounded in a heavy fire exchange in Ain el-Hilweh's vegetable market,” al-Jadeed television reported.

MTV said that a bomb was hurled in the market and was followed by an exchange of gunfire.

"One person was reportedly wounded by gunshots,” MTV noted.

The state-run National News Agency explained that after the news about the death of Fatah al-Islam official Alaeddine Ali Hujair broke out, tension prevailed in the camp's al-Fawqani area as shops and companies also closed their doors.

Hujair died of wounds he received in an armed clash between supporters of Fatah al-Islam and others who back Fatah last week.

On Monday, reports said that the Fatah al-Islam official had died, and following this inaccurate announcement, Hujair's supporters took to the streets and began firing gunshots into the air.

This soon escalated into the armed clashes which lead to the injury of seven people.

Located near the southern city of Sidon, Ain el-Hilweh is the largest Palestinian camp in the country and is home to about 50,000 refugees.

It is known to harbor extremists and fugitives.

By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not enter the country's 12 refugee camps, leaving security inside to the Palestinians themselves.

S.D.B.