Libanon: Premier droht mit Militärintervention in Palästinensercamps

Nach tagelangen Kämpfen in Palästinenserlagern im Libanon zwischen islamistischen Milizionären und Kämpfern der Fatah droht der libanesische Premier nun mit einer Militärintervention in den Lagern, die eigentlich weitesgehend von palästinensischen Parteien verwaltet werden. Seit Jahren schon häufen sich die Warnungen, dass vor allem Ain al-Hilweh zur Hochburg von Islamisten wird.

Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister on Thursday threatened army intervention to stem days of heavy fighting between rival factions in the country’s largest Palestinian refugee camp which has left at least 13 dead and dozens injured.

In a phone call to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas – also the head of the Fatah party, which wields considerable power in Lebanon’s refugee camps – prime minister Najib Mikati demanded an end to armed clashes which have threatened to spill out of the Ain al Hilweh camp and into the coastal city of Saida.

"The army and all of Lebanon's security forces are going to perform the required role in maintaining security and halting the fighting," Mr Mikati told Mr Abbas, according to a statement released by his office.

Mr Mikati called the fighting a “flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty” and said it was unacceptable for the warring Palestinian groups to “terrorise the Lebanese”.

Already the clashes have resulted in dozens injured and thousands of people displaced from the camp, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees. Hundreds of families are sheltering in the agency's schools and in mosques until it is safe to return to the camp.