At least six people have been killed and seven others injured during clashes in Ain al-Helweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

The violence erupted between members of the Fatah movement and Islamists in the camp and is said to have been triggered by an attempt to assassinate an armed group member. Ashraf al-Armouchi, a Fatah military leader, and four of his comrades were killed in the clashes.

An Islamist from the al-Shabab al-Muslim group was also killed, and six others, including the group's leader, were wounded. The Lebanese army does not enter Palestinian refugee camps, leaving security matters to the factions themselves.

This has earned Ain al-Helweh a reputation as a haven for extremists and fugitives. The camp is home to over 54,000 registered Palestinian refugees, with thousands more having arrived in recent years from Syria.

The latest eruption of violence has resulted in the suspension of all operations by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and damage to two of its schools that serve around 2,000 students.

The Lebanese prime minister, Najib Mikati, has condemned the clashes and called for the Palestinian leadership to cooperate with the army to bring the situation under control.