Fatah official assassinated in south Lebanon

A senior security official with Palestine's Fatah movement was assassinated on Saturday in a refugee camp in Lebanon's southern port city of Sidon.

A security source told Xinhua that Colonel Talal al-Ordoni, head of the "Shatila Martyrs" Brigade, was shot by two masked gunmen who speared into the camp riding on a motorcycle.

The source confirmed that al-Ordoni's bodyguard Shaaban Balawina, also his his nephew, was killed on spot, while the official himself died later due to the severe injuries he sustained.

Supporters of Fatah soon opened fire in the air upon hearing the news of his death. The details of the assassination have not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, Voice of Lebanon reported that Fatah commander Munir al-Maqdah condemned the assassination, saying that some sides do not want security and stability in the camp.

"We will strike down with an iron fist those who tamper with our security," he added.

In May 2014, Ordoni survived an attempt on his life in Ain el-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian camp in the country, that is home to about 50,000 refugees and known to harbor extremists and fugitives.

By long-standing convention, the Lebanese army does not enter the country's 12 refugee camps, leaving internal security to the Palestinians themselves. Enditem