Lebanon: 16 killed since last week's clashes in Ein el-Hilweh camp; civilians forced to flee to safer areas

As many as 16 people have been killed and around 100 people have been injured since the fighting renewed at the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon last Thursday (September 7). According to a report by Al Jazeera on Wednesday (September 13), scores of civilians have been forced to flee to safer areas amid the failure of multiple ceasefire agreements. The refugee camp has been rocked by factional clashes since late July between the Palestinian mainstream movement Fatah and Islamist fighters.

On Wednesday, fresh clashes were reported at the camp which killed six and injured 13 others. On Tuesday too, clashes briefly broke out at the camp, the news agency AFP reported.

And last Thursday, fighting resumed following a month-long ceasefire, killing 10.

Fresh ceasefire collapses

On Monday, Lebanon's General Security agency announced a cease-fire with Senior Palestinian officials, including leaders of Fatah and Hamas expressing their full commitment to consolidating it. The leaders also agreed to "work to facilitate the return of those forced from their homes". However, the ceasefire collapsed on Wednesday.

The Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp is located on the outskirts of Sidon. It was created for Palestinians who were driven out or fled during the war that accompanied the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948.

By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the Palestinian camps and leaves the factions to handle security. The camp is home to over 54,000 registered refugees and thousands of Palestinians who joined them in recent years.

The UN agency that deals with Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that the fighting has displaced hundreds of families.

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