The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said on Thursday that 250 of its militants have left the Hamas' Auxiliary Forces to join security services leb by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

Jamil al-Majdalawi, a member of the PFLP's politburo, said in a statement that this move was taken after the Higher Committee of Palestinian factions recommended the Auxiliary Forces be integrated with other security apparatus which are under control of PNA chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas.

"The committee agreed to eliminate factional mark from the Auxiliary Forces," al-Majdalawi added.

The Auxiliary Forces comprises some 5,000 troops, mostly from Hamas. Interior Minister Said Siam of Hamas formed the forces last May to help the Hamas-led government restore order.

In the Auxiliary Forces, there are 3,000 Hamas militants, whereas the other 2,000 are from the PFLP, the Democratic Front and some other minor Palestinian factions.

But the Auxiliary Forces were, in many cases, engaged in the power struggle between the ruling Hamas and rival Fatah which controls most of security agencies.

At least 33 Palestinians, including five children, were killed and more than 120 others wounded in the five-day bloody clashes between Hamas and Fatah which started from last Thursday.

Early Tuesday morning, a ceasefire between rival Fatah and Hamas movements came into force in an effort to end all factional fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Xinhua