On Tuesday evening, 8 April 2008, 2 Palestinians were wounded during
armed clashes between Palestinian security forces and militants from the al-Aqsa
Martyrs Brigades (the armed wing of Fatah movement) in Nablus. The clashes
erupted when security forces attempted to re-arrest 12 militants of the Fares
al-Lail (Night Knights) Group of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who had fled from
Junaid Prison in the west of Nablus.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 19:00 on
Tuesday, 8 April 2008, Palestinian security forces surrounded a number of houses
in Housh al-Jeitan area in the old town of Nablus. They were searching for 12
militants who had escaped from Junaid Prison. A number of militants from Fares
al-Lail Group of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades exchanged fire with security
forces. As a result of the exchange of fire, a civilian bystander and a militant
were wounded: Mohammed Qassem al-Kharraz, 19, wounded by a gunshot to the left
foot; and Sufian Qandil, 24, wounded by shrapnel to the feet.
The militants whom security forces were attempting to arrest escaped from
Junaid Prison on Friday evening, 4 April 2008, after a fight with guards. They
are wanted by IOF and had handed over their weapons to the Palestinian National
Authority. They committed to calming down the situation concerning the
confrontation with Israeli Occupation Forces. They also pledged to serve 3-6
months in Palestinian prison in order for an amnesty for them to be issued by
Israel.
PCHR is gravely concerned for the continuation of such incidents, which
are part of the state of security chaos and misuse of weapons. PCHR calls upon
the Palestinian National Authority, represented by the Attorney-General, to
investigate such attacks and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
-End-
