A new Palestinian armed group in the sights of Israeli forces in the city of Nablus
Audio 01:22
Palestinians clash with Palestinian security forces following an arrest operation against local activists, in the West Bank city of Nablus on September 20.
AP - Nasser Nasser
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Nablus has been totally besieged for two weeks by the Israeli occupying forces.
Most of the roads that lead to this Palestinian town in the northern occupied West Bank are closed or controlled by a filter dam.
The Jewish state army is engaged in a fierce fight against a new Palestinian armed group called "
Areen Al Oussoud
".
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem
,
Sami Boukhelifa
Day and night, Israeli army drones fly over Nablus.
A parasitic sound, a constant buzzing.
The message is clear: you are being watched.
Amer, like all the inhabitants of the city, is exasperated: “
Here, we call this drone
: “
zénnana
”, because of its noise.
It can stay 24 hours a day in the air.
And sometimes there are several.
It's broad daylight, and you can hear its roar.
Imagine what it looks like at night, when there is no more noise in the streets.
»
In the sights of the occupation forces: the armed group Areen Al Oussoud, literally the lion's den in French, whose fighters describe themselves as resistance fighters and are totally disaffiliated from the traditional Palestinian factions.
The popularity of the armed group on social networks
In recent months, they have gained popularity among Palestinian youth, especially on social media with the publication of video game-like clips accompanied by an altered voice.
In one of the videos, for example, we can see an attack filmed against an Israeli army position in the occupied West Bank.
In its stronghold in the heart of the old city of Nablus, this shadow group fascinates as much as it impresses.
“
The Areen Al Oussoud group defends a noble cause,
says Mamoune, who is a trader.
For its members, there is only one way to end the occupation and that is to fight.
They reject the methods of the Palestinian Authority, which wants peace negotiations and makes concessions.
They want to fight and they are ready to die for the cause.
It is even their objective.
»
One of their fighters has just been the target of a bomb attack.
The group accuses Israel of using unconventional methods.
The sign, according to him, that the Jewish state is in difficulty.
►
To read also: Palestinian territories: the city of Nablus blocked by the Israeli army
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