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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan | ||
| Haniyeh: We were obliged to act against Jund Insar Allah | ||
| 2009-08-16 | ||
| The Hamas government was obliged to act against Jund Ansar Allah (Soldiers for God), de facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said publically following overnight clashes between the ultra-Islamist group and Hamas police. "Members of the group had worked against the government, described it as unreligious and armed themselves in opposition," the de facto Prime Minister said at a conference on Saturday. "These were radicals who blew themselves up in the midst of security officers," he said. Deputy Head of Rafah police department Ra'fat Salamah wrote on the police website that de facto government police were forced to take action when fighters from Jund Ansar Allah opened fire on Rafah residents and security personnel. He also noted that "none of the outlaws are left in Rafah," saying that at least 90 were arrested as of Friday evening, and promising that life in the area had returned to normal. Haniyeh described the group as one that took advantage of youth and infused them with "strange ideas" based on acting against so-called atheists in a violent way. In all ways, he added, this came about because of the Israeli siege on Gaza, and the war Israel perpetrated against the people of the Strip.
Six de facto government police and one Hamas leader were reportedly killed in the clashes that arose after the Jund Ansar Allah took over a Rafah city mosque and, along with hundreds of armed supporters,
Sources said two loud explosions were heard during clashes, reportedly Jund Ansar Allah fighters bowing themselves up amidst Hamas police. | ||
| Posted by:Fred |