Will the Armed Clashes in Ain al-Hilweh Camp Continue? Analysis and Updates

2023-08-21 11:35:00

Ahmed Muntsh

Will the armed clashes that took place at the end of last month inside the Ain al-Hilweh camp in Sidon, between Fatah militants and militants of extremist Islamic groups, be renewed, which resulted in the killing of 14 people, most notably the official of the Palestinian security forces, Fatah leader Muhammad al-Armoushi “Abu Ashraf” and his four companions, and injuring at least On behalf of 65 members and civilians, in addition to the destruction and fires that afflicted the homes and properties of the people and residents of the camp, or will the decision to establish the cease-fire continue?

This question still occupies and disturbs people and all Palestinian and Lebanese forces and factions concerned with the situation inside and outside the camp. In the opinion of all forces and factions, the explosion of the situation once more depends or depends on the report of the investigation committee, which is supposed to be handed over to the Joint Palestinian Action Committee, and most importantly of all, is the handing over of those accused of the assassination of Al-Armoushi and his companions and the killing of Abd Farhoud, for interrogation and handing over everyone found guilty to the Lebanese judiciary for trial. and impose the necessary penalties on them.

In this context, most forces and factions rule out that any accused would respond by turning himself in neither to the investigation committee nor to any Palestinian or Lebanese party, especially since some of those accused of the assassination of Al-Armoushi and his companions are still fortifying themselves in their positions within the neighborhoods in which they are present while they are in a state of alert and mobilization. Exactly as are the Fatah movement’s militants inside and outside their centers in the neighborhoods in which they are present, especially in Al-Barakasat, Bustan Al-Yahudi, Al-Tiri, Jabal Al-Halib, and some parts of the Fawqani and Tahtani streets.

The role of Islamic forces and Fatah’s options are limited and difficult

Some sources in the camp believed that the options available to the leadership of the Fatah Movement and the PLO factions following the assassination of Al-Armoushi have become difficult and very limited in order to calm the security situation and contribute to the return of normal life in the camp, and they relate first and foremost to the necessity of handing over and interrogating the accused and handing over those who prove their involvement to the army. The Lebanese and the competent judiciary, and the Islamic forces, especially Osbat al-Ansar, can help in handing over the accused, otherwise the Fatah movement, following revealing the names of the accused, will resort to either waging a new battle to bring them by force or biting at the wound and waiting for the appropriate opportunity to arrest or kill them, because the blood of the martyr al-Armoushi and his four companions will not go away. In vain and without punishing the killers, as one Fatah official stressed.

An-Nahar inside the camp

The western entrance to the camp through the army checkpoint, which is known as the Al-Hisba checkpoint, due to its proximity to the Hisba of Sidon for the wholesale sale of vegetables and fruits, is considered one of the clear passages to enter the camp, in addition to the southern entrance from the Darb Al-Sim side, following the clashes and the closure of the two entrances to the streets above and below from the northern side due to their proximity From the area of ​​​​clashes in the brinks and emergencies.

During Al-Nahar’s tour inside the camp, it was noticed that the movement of cars and people out of the camp is greater than the movement of people entering it, amid tight security measures by the army checkpoint personnel who continue to search cars in both directions. During the field tour, “Al-Nahar” recorded the presence of an almost natural and shy movement in the underground street, neighborhoods and alleys on both sides of the street, starting from the western entrance and the Hittin neighborhood, all the way to the entrance and the Bustan al-Yahudi area, and some parts of the Fawqani Street and the neighboring neighborhoods, while the movement appeared to be almost non-existent for people and cars. With the exception of the presence of armed men who are openly or undercover, especially in the neighborhoods of Al-Barakasat, Al-Tawara’, Al-Safsaf, and Jabal Al-Halib, with some showers and curtains that obscure the view, which were placed between these neighborhoods, streets, and alleys.

Secretary of the leadership of the Fatah movement and the factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Major General Maher Shabaita speaking to “An-Nahar” inside the Ain Al-Hawa camp

Interview with Major General Maher Shabaytah

In one of the offices of the Fatah movement inside the camp, “An-Nahar” met the Secretary of the leadership of the “Fatah” movement and the factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the Saida region, Major General Maher Shabaytah, who closely accompanied the security events, meetings and political contacts, and confirmed that “the Fatah movement was committed following the assassination of Major General Al-Armoushi.” And the armed clashes that took place inside the camp to implement the decision of the Joint Palestinian Action Committee and some Lebanese forces and parties, which stipulates a cease-fire and its stabilization, and the formation of a special investigation committee to uncover the perpetrators of the assassination of Al-Armoushi and his companions and the killing of Abd Farhood, and we are awaiting the implementation of the third item related to the interrogation of the suspects in the assassination And the killing of Farhoud, and the extradition of those proven guilty to the Lebanese judiciary.

He pointed out that “the investigation committee is regarding to finish its work, and it is scheduled to submit the summary of its investigations today or following to the political leadership of the Palestinian forces and factions and the Joint Palestinian Action Committee in Lebanon, to take appropriate measures once morest the accused criminals, noting that the hard-line Islamists in the emergency did not hand over the committee.” The investigation carried out all the tapes of their cameras, but only some excerpts from them.”

Shabeetah expected that none of the accused would respond and surrender themselves to the investigation committee, following which the political leadership and the Palestinian Action Committee should take appropriate measures to address the case.

Shabayta spoke at length regarding the circumstances and details of the killing of Abd Farhood, and the decision of the Fatah movement to extradite the accused for his killing, and said: “During Al-Armoushi’s move to arrest him, he was subjected to an armed ambush set up for him from the buildings of the UNRWA schools, where he and his companions were shot heavily and for 15 minutes by regarding 8 Armed men, which led to his immediate martyrdom along with his four companions.After they carried out the assassination crime, they opened fire with their automatic weapons inside their places of emergency and al-Safsaf, towards our centers in al-Barakasat, Bustan al-Yahudi, Hattin, and the Ain al-Hilweh settlement.It was natural for us to respond to the terrorist attackers in defense of our centers and the Our people are in the camp. Shabaita considered that the side and groups that destroyed the Yarmouk camp in Syria and the Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon are the same ones that are trying today to destroy the Ain al-Hilweh camp.

The official of the Democratic Front in the camp, Fouad Othman

Democratic Front official

The official of the Democratic Front in Ain al-Hilweh camp, Fouad Othman, considered that “the clashes that took place inside the camp had catastrophic consequences for our people inside the camp and the neighborhood, and they took place in complex political and security conditions in Lebanon and the region.”

He stressed that “the Front, along with other factions, focused its efforts on all levels and levels in order to cease fire, form an investigation committee, and hand over all those found guilty of the assassination of Al-Armoushi and his companions, and the killing of Abd Farhoud,” explaining that “the Front did not participate in the clashes because its central decision is once morest any Internal fighting, and any dispute or incident that occurs must be addressed through dialogue and political frameworks between all forces and factions in the camp.

He cautioned once morest being drawn into malicious rumors that contribute to the escalation and tension of the atmosphere and confuse our people inside and outside the camp, and wished UNRWA to reverse the decision to stop its services and work inside the camp, wishing all armed men to vacate its schools and institutions so that it would not be a justification for donor countries to stop their obligations towards the agency and the refugees.

The representative of the Islamic Forces and the official of the Islamic Mujahid Movement in the camp, Sheikh Jamal Khattab, apologized for not making any statement to all media outlets at this time, as he told Al-Nahar.

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