Conflict Incident Report

On 21 Dec 16, a member of the extremist group Asbat al-Ansar was shot dead in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh in Saida, sparking violence that resulted in the death of two other people and the wounding of four others. At the junction of the camp's vegetable market, unknown gunmen opened fire at Samer Hmeid, also known as Samer Nejmeh, and the Palestinian Abed Saleh, which resulted in the death of Hmeid on the spot and the wounding of Saleh. Media reports later said that Saleh had succumbed to his wounds. Later on the Palestinian Mahmoud Ibrahim Abu al-Yaman was also killed and that four other people were injured, they were identified as Palestinian woman Alia Hourani, Palestinian-Syrian Fatah Movement member Mohammed Kerbaj, and the Palestinians Omar Jamal Hamad and Omar Jamal Shreidi who belong to hardline Islamist groups. Tension soared in the camp after the assassination, where schools, shops and UNRWA institutions shut down. Later on in the evening, two other people were reportedly injured due to sporadic shooting inside the camp.