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Who is behind new round of violence in Lebanon refugee camp?

The Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon has witnessed heavy clashes between factions linked to a jihadi cell and the Palestinian Joint Security Force.

A Palestinian Fatah gunman carries his weapon and he attempts to cross a street at the Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon, southern Lebanon April 10, 2017. REUTERS/Ali Hashisho     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX34VZC
A Palestinian Fatah gunman carries his weapon as he attempts to cross a street in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon, Lebanon, April 10, 2017. — REUTERS/Ali Hashisho

The Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon has witnessed six days of intense clashes that have pitted a coalition of Palestinian forces against jihadi factions led by Bilal Badr. The gunfights, which began April 7, have killed at least eight people and, according to Palestinian sources, are linked to the presence of a jihadi cell in the camp that is affiliated with radical organizations such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and the Islamic State (IS).

“We have every intention of arresting Bilal Badr: He has wreaked havoc in the camp. While the official death count is at eight, we believe that around 12 to 13 people have been killed in the fight," said Fouad Othman, the head of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).

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