General view of the Ain al-Hilweh camp in South Lebanon. (Credit: NNA/File photo)
BEIRUT — The joint Palestinian factions in the Palestinan refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh close to Saida in South Lebanon announced Sunday that a man suspected of killing a member of the Fatah movement, Khaled Ala' al-Dine, nicknamed Khomeini, is in its custody and will be handed over to the Lebanese Army, according to L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the the area.
The suspect is a member of the Islamist group Osbat al-Ansar. Earlier this month, clashes between the Fatah movement and Islamist groups in the refugee camp — the largest in Lebanon — left one dead and seven injured. The deceased was a member of Fatah and was allegedly killed by Ala' al-Dine.
Ala' al-Din was arrested by the factions after a meeting was held Saturday night at the headquarters of the Palestinian National Security in Ain al-Hilweh camp, in the presence of the Palestinian National Security Commander in the Sidon region, Brig. Gen. Abu Ashraf al-Armoushi, the Secretary of the Sidon region in the Fatah movement, Brig. Gen. Maher Shabaita, the commander of the Palestinian security force, Col. Abdul Hadi al-Asadi, and Fouad Othman, an official from the Democratic Front.
Tensions rose in the Ain al-Hilweh camp on Wednesday after the relatives of Ala' al-Dine refused to turn him in to the Lebanese Army.
Approximately 54,000 Palestinian refugees live in the Ain al-Hilweh camp, along with thousands of other Palestinians who fled the war in Syria. The camp is regularly the scene of armed clashes between rival groups.
Reporting contributed by Muntasser Abdallah.