Deadly fighting erupts in Lebanon Palestinian camp

Clashes have erupted between two rival groups at a Palestinian refugee camp near the southern Lebanese port of Sidon, leaving several people dead.

According to Lebanese and Palestinian security officials, the skirmishes broke out on Monday in Mieh Mieh camp between supporters of a former commander of the Palestinian Fatah movement and members of a rival group, known as Ansarullah.

It is not clear what caused the fighting which has reportedly killed at least seven people and injured 10 others.

The groups are said to have used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the fighting.

The Lebanese army closed all roads leading to the camp later on Monday in an effort to contain the clashes, which lasted for almost two hours.

Lebanon has 12 Palestinian refugee camps, which house about 450,000 Palestinian refugees and their descendants.

Based on a long-standing agreement, Lebanese security forces do not enter the camps.