Lebanon: Hamas members killed by gunfire in Palestinian camp
Fatah members stand guard outside the Palestinian refugee camp of Bourj al-Chamali near the southern Lebanese port of Tire on December 11, 2021. AP - Mohammad Zaatari
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At least three Hamas members were killed this Sunday, December 12 and several others injured by gunfire in a Palestinian refugee camp near Tire in southern Lebanon.
The Lebanese army has deployed around the camp to prevent the clashes from spreading to other areas.
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With our correspondent in Beirut,
Paul Khalifeh
The shooting occurred when a funeral procession of a Hamas activist approached the cemetery of the Palestinian camp of Bourj al-Chamali, 80 kilometers south of Beirut.
According to activists of the Palestinian Islamist movement and eyewitnesses, the bursts which targeted the crowd came from a staff of the Fatah Movement, the president of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas.
For his part, the head of this organization in the camp assured that the shooter was not a member of Fatah, without giving further details.
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To read also: In Lebanon, the movement of solidarity with the Palestinians sometimes takes a violent turn
Controversial explosion
This deadly incident comes 48 hours after a strong explosion that rocked Bourj al-Chamali on Friday evening, December 10.
The blur continues to surround the origin of this explosion in which a member of Hamas was killed.
Various sources claim that the explosion occurred in a warehouse owned by Hamas.
A spokesperson for the Islamist movement, however, denied this information, saying it was oxygen tanks that exploded.
Hamas and Fatah are fighting over control of the 12 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, historically acquired by Fatah.
But for several years, the Islamist movement has succeeded in expanding its influence.
This causes tensions which sometimes degenerate into armed clashes.
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To listen: Arab countries: what solidarity with the Palestinians?
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Lebanon
Palestinian territories