BEIRUT, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed in the clashes in Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Friday, following a failed attempt to assassinate a senior Palestinian military official, a security source told Xinhua.
An exchange of machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades broke out in the camp, following the failed assassination against Brig. Gen. Bassam al-Saad, the head of the joint Palestinian security force, the source said on conditional of anonymity.
Many refugees fled their houses into safe areas, the source added.
The security situation further deteriorated later in the evening and the exchange of fire led to the accidental death of Abd al-Rahim Bassam al-Moqdah, who was standing on his balcony as the clashes broke out.
The violence soon spread to armed clashes between radical elements in the neighborhood of Safsaf and the Fatah movement. Houses, shops and cars were damaged by the two parties. Some generators caught fire as a result of the heavy clashes.
Relative calm has currently been restored in the camp.
Hamas political representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, called for stability in a statement Friday.
"(Hamas) is against any actions that harm the joint Palestinian security forces, as they are the result of a consensus between all Palestinian factions," he said.
