(Updates number of casualties)
GAZA CITY (AFX) - Seven Palestinians were killed on Sunday in clashes in Gaza City between rival security forces loyal to the Hamas and Fatah factions following protests over non-payment of salaries, medics said.
The clashes marked the deadliest internecine feuding since the Islamist Hamas movement took government office in March following its landslide election victory over Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas's moderate Fatah party.
'Seven Palestinians were killed today in Gaza during the clashes and more than 70 wounded,' Shifa Hospital casualty department director Baker Abu Safia told AFP. A police source confirmed the number of casualties.
In separate incidents, two members of the security forces close to Fatah were killed in shootouts with armed men from forces controlled by the Hamas-led interior ministry.
A third man, whose identity was not immediately released, was killed in another incident.
Earlier, four Palestinians, two of them teenagers aged 15 and 16, were killed during fighting near the parliament building in the centre of Gaza City.
Twenty-three people were also wounded in clashes in the town of Khan Yunis in the south of the territory, emergency services director Dr Jumaa al-Sakka said. newsdesk@afxnews.com afp/ak COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited