Five injured in clash between rival Palestinian groups in Lebanon

Mar 31, 2011, 9:47 GMT

Beirut - At least five Palestinians were injured in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon Thursday, after a clash erupted between rival groups inside the shantytown, a Palestinian source said.

Munir Makdah, the commander of Fatah movement inside the camp told the German Press Agency dpa the clash started between Fatah members and others from the more fundamentalist Fatah al-Islam after two hand grenades were thrown near the house of Fatah al-Islam coordinator Osama al-Shahabi overnight.

The five injured in the Ain el Hilweh camp were from Fatah al- Islam, a Palestinian source inside the camp said.

Makdah added that situation inside the camp was still tense.

Fatah al-Islam emerged in Lebanon 2006. In 2007, the group was engaged in bloody clashes with the Lebanese army inside the refugee camp of Nahr al Bared, in north Lebanon.

More than 400 people, including civilians, died in three months of clashes between the two sides before the Lebanese army took control of the camp.

The fundamentalist group is believed to have close links with al- Qaeda.

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