BEIRUT – Islamic militants clashed with Fatah gunmen in a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Monday, killing at least two people, Palestinian security officials said.
It was not immediately clear what prompted the shootout in the Ein el-Hilweh camp, where gunfights are common between armed groups jockeying for power.
Monday's confrontation involved gunmen from the militant Asbat al-Ansar group, which is on a U.S. terrorism list and which Washington has accused of being linked to Al Qaeda.
An official said one of the militants shot a Fatah member, igniting the clash with other gunmen from the mainstream Palestinian movement. His account could not immediately be confirmed.
Two bystanders died and a Fatah member was seriously wounded, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make official statements.
The echo of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades reverberated in the camp and in the nearby city of Sidon. Some families in the teeming camp fled to safer areas.
Ein el-Hilweh is home to 70,000 people, making it the largest of Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps. It is notorious for gunbattles and tit-for-tat bombings between rival groups.
A number of fugitives live in the camp, which is under Palestinian jurisdiction and off limits to Lebanese authorities. Among the fugitives are members of Asbat al-Ansar, or Band of Partisans.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.