Fatah gunmen go on anti-Hamas rampage in West Bank

Hundreds of Palestinian security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas went on a violent rampage against the Hamas-led government Monday night, riddling the parliament and Cabinet buildings with bullets before setting them alight to protest an attack against their comrades in the Gaza Strip by Hamas gunmen.

A few hours earlier PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas warned all Palestinian security personnel to go on high alert, after two Palestinians were killed and another 15 wounded in deadly clashes between rival militant groups in the Gaza Strip town of Rafah.

The shootout began earlier Monday when Hamas gunmen, attending the funeral of a colleague killed in clashes with the rival Fatah party, opened fire on the offices of the Fatah-dominated security force. Officers fired back, hitting the Hamas gunman, who died on his way to the hospital.

Sympathizers of Fatah and Islamic Jihad marched to the security agency headquarters to demand an end to the standoff, and Hamas gunmen fired rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank rockets on them in response, killing a Fatah militant, witnesses said.


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