SIDON: At least six people were killed and dozens wounded in clashes that erupted in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Helweh in southern Lebanon, AFP news agency reported. The violence began late last Thursday, marking the fifth consecutive day of intense fighting in the camp.
The Ain al-Helweh camp, situated on the outskirts of the coastal city of Sidon, became the epicenter of conflict.
Imad Hallak from the Palestinian Red Crescent’s Lebanon branch reported that the toll has now risen to “six dead, one of them killed on Monday, and more than 70 wounded.” These casualties include both combatants and civilians.
Hezbollah issued a statement on Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire and expressing “deep regret” at the ongoing violence.
According to AFP, clashes with automatic gunfire and shelling continued, although the intensity had somewhat decreased compared to previous days. Bullets and shells had fallen outside the camp’s boundaries during the recent fighting.
Clashes at Palestinian Camp in Lebanon
Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that the southern entrance to Sidon was closed to traffic. On Saturday, the NNA had initially reported three fighters and one civilian killed in the clashes.
Ain al-Helweh houses over 54,000 registered refugees, with thousands of Palestinians. The camp, Lebanon’s largest, was established to accommodate Palestinians who were displaced during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) stated on Sunday that “hundreds of families have left the camp” since the clashes began. Some 400 families sought refuge in a mosque, while others found shelter with relatives or in emergency facilities.
The Lebanese army announced on Sunday that shells had struck two military sites near the camp, resulting in “five soldiers wounded, one of them in critical condition.” It is customary for the Lebanese army to refrain from entering Palestinian camps and to leave security matters to the camp’s factions.
In an official statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the army cautioned “the relevant parties inside the camp” against jeopardizing military installations and warned of “appropriate measures” it would take.
