HAMAS: BAIT AL-MAQDES NOT AFFILIATED WITH US

Gaza, 24 Jumadil Akhir 1436/13 April 2015 (MINA) – Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, denied again having any connection with Aknaf Bait al-Maqdes brigades in Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in Syria.

The senior Hamas official Mushir al-Masri said, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, “Hamas does not have any military formations in Syria”, stressing that Hamas has no relation whatsoever with Aknaf Bait al-Maqdes or any other armed group.

Aknaf Bait al-Maqdes was one of the biggest armed parties controlling the Yarmouk camp before the alliance between Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State (IS) which took over most of the camp, The Palestinian Information Center (PIC) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

As Aknaf Bait al-Maqdes has not announced belonging to any party, some allegations have been rumoring that most of its fighters were working as bodyguards at the office of the Head of Hamas political bureau Khaled Mishaal before it was moved from Damascus in Syria to Doha in Qatar.

Masri described what has been taking place in Yarmouk camp as “a massacre targeting the Palestinian existence”. He renewed his Movement’s call on all the armed parties in the devastated camp to cease fire, halt the bloody fighting, and neutralize the camp.

The IS stormed Yarmouk camp in the beginning of April and took over most parts of it following clashes with Aknaf Bait al-Maqdes brigades. (T/P011/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)