Update: Thirteen killed, at least 29 abducted in the internal clashes

Friday January 26, 2007 22:08

by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The internal clashes between Hamas and Fateh gunmen continued on Friday and the number of Palestinians killed reached thirteen, while at least 29 from both factions were abducted.

Gunmen in Gaza

Eight of the thirteen killed are members of either Fateh or Hamas movements, and two including one child were civilians.

Hamas sources reported that three were killed and several others were injured when gunmen fired RPG shells at a mosque in Gaza City.

According to the Hamas sources, the mosque is currently surrounded and under fire.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources reported that Hamas gunmen abducted eight Fateh members while Fateh gunmen abducted eleven Hamas members in Gaza and nine members of the Hamas-led Executive Force in Nablus city, in the northern part of the West Bank.

On Friday at night, Fateh gunmen said that they abducted 24 members of Hamas in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Also, Fateh movement accused Hamas and the Executive Force of surrounding the house of Nabil Al Jareer, a member of the Fateh Al Aqsa brigades, in Jabalia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Fateh says that Al Jareer was shot and killed by Hamas gunmen while his assistant was abducted, Fateh stated.

The attack was carried out after a vehicle that belongs to the Executive Force was taregetted on Thursday night by an explosive charge placed on the side of the road.

One member of the Executive Force was shot and killed, and six civilians including two children were injured when the roadside bomb went off in Jabalia.

On Friday, one civilian died of wounds sustained on Thursday evening in the roadside bomb explosion.

Three people, including Zoheir Al Mansy, 42, a local Hamas leader, were killed and eight were injured in Tal Al Hawa area in Gaza City

During the early hours of Friday morning, a wave of abductions took place between Fateh and Hamas; nine Hamas members were abducted by Fateh and five Fateh members were abducted by Hamas.

Eyewitnesses reported on Friday afternoon, that members of the Hamas Al Qassam Brigades abducted three members of Fateh east of Jabalia, while Fateh gunmen abducted two members of Hamas in Beit Hanoun.