A Palestinian resident runs for cover on an entrance to Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, due to clashes in the area, near the port-city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, August 22, 2015 (Photo: Reuters)
Two people were killed when gunmen briefly opened fire in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, breaching a tense ceasefire, Palestinian sources said on Thursday.
A source from the Fatah Palestinian faction said a Fatah official and a civilian had been killed in fire by "unidentified gunmen" overnight in Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon.
The breach threatened a ceasefire that ended several days of clashes between Fatah and an Islamist group in the camp.
Palestinian officials said the ceasefire remained in place despite the breach and that high-level contacts were made during the night to ensure it would be respected.
Ain al-Hilweh is an impoverished, overcrowded camp near the coastal city of Sidon, home to some 61,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 who fled the war in Syria.
By long-standing convention, Lebanon's army does not enter Palestinian refugee camps, meaning many have turned into lawless areas.
Short link: