Four Palestinians were injured in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after clashes broke out between supporters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and expelled Fatah leader Mohamed Dahlan.
“Four injured Palestinians were taken to Nasser Hospital Medical Centre in the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip,” Palestinian medical sources told Anadolu Agency.
According to witnesses, the clashes broke out as internal elections were being held in Khan Younis for Abbas’ Fatah movement.
“During the elections, a quarrel erupted between Abbas supporters and Dahlan loyalists,” one witness said.
“Police eventually intervened and broke up the fighting,” the witness added.
Once calm was restored by police, the internal polling resumed.
Security forces in the Gaza Strip – which is run by Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, a longstanding rival of Fatah’s – refrained from commenting on the incident.
Dahlan was expelled from the Fatah movement in 2011 amid allegations that he had been involved in the 2004 death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Ever since, Abbas and Dahlan – who is currently based in the United Arab Emirates – have remained bitter rivals.
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