After four days of bloody fighting in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, between Fatah and the "Jund al-Sham" and "Fatah al-Islam" factions, it is expected that a permanent ceasefire will be established tomorrow morning, Wednesday, with a committee formed to monitor the prevention of any clashes and facilitate the return of displaced persons. Despite entering a ceasefire, sporadic clashes continue, prompting the Lebanese army to deploy commandos around the camp to reinforce military positions at its entrances and surroundings.
A cautious calm prevailed in the fighting axes of the camp this morning after an announcement regarding the commitment of the combatants to a humanitarian truce starting from 9 PM last night. However, sporadic gunfire and shelling continued, particularly in the areas of Al-Tahmeer, Al-Tawari, and the Brexat, which experienced intense fighting leading to the near-total destruction of the Tawari and Al-Tahmeer neighborhoods, displacing most of their residents and causing four wounded among the Lebanese army. Fighting intensified around the Abdullah Rabah Mosque in the "Hittin" neighborhood at noon, later spreading shells to the Siroub area, Sidon’s marketplace, the Serail, and the eastern highway. In the afternoon, military helicopters affiliated with the Lebanese army flew overhead, noting that one shell targeted an army tower.
The Palestinian Joint Action Committee in Lebanon condemned the assassination of Palestinian National Security Forces Commander in Sidon, Major General Abu Ashraf Al-Armouchi, and several of his companions during an emergency meeting with the presence of Palestine's ambassador to Lebanon, Ashraf Dabbour. The committee demanded that the cover be lifted from the perpetrators of the assassination and the murder of Abdul Rahman Farhoud. It called for the immediate establishment of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of armed individuals from the streets to create safe conditions for the return of all displaced families from the camp. Accordingly, the committee formed a field committee to implement these measures and tasked an investigative committee with immediate action to identify those involved in the recent crimes to present them to the Lebanese judiciary and security authorities as soon as possible.
Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi confirmed that the authorities are closely monitoring events in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, which is witnessing clashes among armed Palestinian factions, denying any terrorist plots against the country. In a special interview with Sky News Arabia, commenting on the events in Ain al-Hilweh near Sidon, coinciding with the Lebanese army's anniversary, he stated: "We do not fear for the Lebanese army from what is happening in the Ain al-Hilweh camp.”
The U.S. State Department announced that it continues to monitor concerning reports about violence in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon. The State Department called on all parties in the camp to respect civilian safety and not to target civilian facilities.
Lebanese MP Abdul Rahman Al-Bizri expressed the significant anger among Sidon residents regarding the damages affecting their city, alongside the destruction of a large part of the camp housing the largest number of Palestinian refugees. He pointed out that serious measures are in place to cease fire, hoping for a return to normalcy tomorrow.
Maher Shbayta, the Secretary of Fatah in Sidon, commented on the ceasefire that the meeting at the Palestinian embassy angered factions that reignited tensions in the camp. He stated: "We are in favor of establishing a ceasefire to complete the Palestinian-Lebanese agreement to hand over those who opened fire involved in the assassination of the Palestinian National Security Commander."
The "Jund al-Sham" groups announced their commitment to the ceasefire, and the Fatah movement declared a similar commitment conditional on handing over the killers of Major General Abu Ashraf Al-Armouchi, which remains the main impediment to ending the ongoing fighting in the camp. The Palestinian ambassador to Lebanon, Ashraf Dabbour, issued a decision to cease fire on behalf of Fatah elements, calling for immediate field implementation. Similarly, the Lebanese-Palestinian meeting convened by MP Osama Saad issued a similar decision, but its effects have not yet been executed.
The battle has not only led to shelling and gunfire directed at the camp front but has also expanded to include a series of incidents, including a shell landing on a McDonald's restaurant in the marketplace and others near Al-Mousali Mosque and in the Siroub area, which resulted in a house burning, alongside shells targeting other areas, including near Al-Gharamti and Qablawy confectionery on the eastern highway, with stray bullets reaching buildings in the Barad neighborhood of Sidon and the village to the east of the city.
Information Minister Ziad Al-Makari condemned the shooting targeting an area where journalists were present in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, noting that an "RPG" shell exploded nearby, putting their lives at risk. He called on the fighting parties to cease violence and to specifically refrain from targeting journalists, as their protection is a right guaranteed by international humanitarian law, noting that their work in such extraordinary conditions is highly appreciated.
**Displaced Persons: Where to Go?**
Amid the frequent displacements from Ain al-Hilweh camp, reports indicate that Palestinian refugees are fleeing to mosques and schools in Sidon and the surrounding areas. Many refugees are staying in the Al-Mousali Mosque and the Martyrs' School run by UNRWA in the Al-Sit Nafisa neighborhood in Sidon. Given the uncertainty of a solid ceasefire, schools in Sidon announced the continuation of suspended summer classes for the second consecutive day. The head of the Islamic Charitable Society in Sidon has also extended the closure of the association's schools, although the office will operate as usual. This situation similarly applies to the branches of the Lebanese University in Sidon, which have prolonged their closure. In this context, the governor of the south, Mansour Dwe, announced that operations will continue to be halted at Sidon's government offices tomorrow, along with the closure of the offices of the Sidon Electric Company and the Bar Association's center in Sidon Court due to the instability of security conditions in the camp.
**Funeral of Al-Armouchi**
Meanwhile, Fatah and the National Security Forces held the funeral for Abu Ashraf Al-Armouchi and his companion Moussa Fendi in the Rashidiyeh camp, both of whom were killed in an ambush set by "Jund al-Sham" in the Ain al-Hilweh camp. Members of the leadership of Fatah in the region and area, as well as the Palestinian Consul in Lebanon, were present, along with various representatives from Palestinian factions and Lebanese parties, in addition to political, national, religious, and social figures, gathering a large crowd from the camps and gatherings in the Tyre area. The funeral procession began at Al-Hamshari Hospital in Sidon towards the Rashidiyeh camp, with hundreds of Palestinian community members from Qasimiya carrying Palestinian flags and Fatah banners. Members of the National Security forces laid wreaths on the bodies, and the procession continued to the Rashidiyeh camp, led by youth who decorated their bikes with images of the martyrs and Palestinian flags. After prayers for the two deceased at the "RPG Cubs" camp, the bodies were carried by elite members of the Palestinian National Security forces, with ambulances from the Palestinian Red Crescent following closely. Later, wreaths were laid on the graves on behalf of the Palestinian ambassador in Lebanon, Ashraf Dabbour, and Fatah leadership in the Lebanese arena, along with various unions, organizations, and Palestinian factions.
