Toll of Army-Camp Clashes Rises Amid Arab Warning of Lebanese-Palestinian Strife
Tension between Palestinians and the Lebanese army at the entrance of the refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh reportedly left one person dead, raising Monday’s toll of clashes between the military and the residents of several shantytowns in Lebanon to two.
Palestinian sources told An Nahar newspaper published Tuesday that Khaled Youssef, 20, was killed and 11 others were injured overnight when Palestinian groups attacked army checkpoints at the southern refugee camp’s entrances and mainly al-Tahtani street.
Earlier in the day, a Palestinian was killed and eight people, including three soldiers, were injured when clashes broke out in north Lebanon’s Nahr al-Bared camp during the funeral of a Palestinian who died last Friday when the army opened fire during a spat at the shantytown.
Monday’s confrontations erupted after the mourners tried to attack army bases at the camp, setting fire to a military vehicle.
The tension and the rising death toll came as a top Lebanese official revealed that he had received a warning from an Arab leader that Palestinian refugees could be pushed to ignite strife in Lebanon similar to the upheaval in Syria.
According to al-Akhbar newspaper, the official contacted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who sent Azzam al-Ahmed as an envoy to Lebanon to cooperate with the Lebanese authorities in the attempt to thwart the plot.
The daily said that Salafist groups from different nationalities have recently entered Palestinian camps throughout Lebanon, mainly Ain el-Hilweh where militants with alleged links to the al-Qaida terror network have reportedly taken refuge.
The gunmen are receiving military training and attending seminars that incite them to Jihad at a school in the camp’s al-Taware street, al-Akhbar added.
Military sources refused to comment to An Nahar on the side that is inciting the Palestinians against the army. They only said that the team is known to everybody.
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