Nahr al-Bared Factions Demand Investigation in Recent Camp Unrest, Will Continue Sit-in

Factions of the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp demanded on Tuesday that an investigation be launched in the recent unrest in the camp that resulted in the deaths of Ahmed al-Qassem and Fouad Loubani.

They announced in a statement: “We will continue our sit-in away, but we will refrain from blocking roads in the camp, until our demands are met.”

They stressed the need to lift the heavy security measures imposed on the camp and launching an investigation in the two deaths.

The factions, which included various popular committees and clerics, affirmed their “great keenness on maintaining the best fraternal ties between the Lebanese and Palestinian people.”

They denied any animosity between the residents of the camp and the Lebanese army, adding: “The camp is not part of the Lebanese political tensions and it refuses to be dragged into such affairs.”

“The recent unrest contradicts with the interests of the camp and was sparked by some angry residents who were frustrated by the tensions in the area that were caused by the current security and military situation at Nahr al-Bared,” they explained.

At least one Palestinian was killed and several people, including three Lebanese soldiers, were wounded on Monday in clashes that erupted between the Lebanese army and residents of the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared during the funeral of Ahmed Qassem, who was killed during unrest at the camp on Friday.

The Lebanese Army Command said in a statement that the three soldiers were injured in the clashes.

The army used "tear gas and rubber bullets, and then fired live rounds at people who insisted on attacking (a military post), leading to several of the attackers being injured," said the statement.

It added that youths threw Molotov cocktails at the soldiers and torched an army vehicle as well as part of the military post.

A camp resident said soldiers had opened fire on the youths without provocation.