[Jerusalem Post] Khaled Abu Toameh - 28 Palestinians were killed and more than 120 were wounded over the weekend in fierce clashes between Hamas militiamen and security forces and members of the Jund Ansar Allah ("Soldiers of the Companions of God") group. Taher a-Nunu, a spokesman for the Hamas government, said Jund Ansar Allah was responsible for a spate of bombings against coffee shops, hair salons, Internet outlets and restaurants throughout Gaza over the past few years. Hamas said it took action after the group's leader and founder, Sheikh Abdel Latif Mousa, also known as Abu Nur al-Maqdisi, declared during Friday prayers in Rafah the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Gaza. Mousa and some of his followers killed themselves by detonating explosive belts wrapped around their waists. Hamas said one of its top military commanders, Muhammad al-Shamali, was killed in the fighting. Shamali, who was in charge of Hamas' armed wing, Izzadin Kassam, in the southern Gaza Strip, is believed to have been involved in the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006.
2009-08-17 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive