Palestinian armed faction says appeals by interior ministry, other parties to give up its weapons are irrelevant

GAZA CITY - A radical offshoot of the dominant Palestinian Fatah faction said Wednesday it would not disarm after Israel's pullout from Gaza after the interior ministry warned that armed groups would not be tolerated.

"We will continue to brandish our weapons in the face of the occupation (Israel) as Gaza is only the first step towards the liberation of all of the land of Palestine," a statement from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said.

"The appeals by the interior ministry and other parties to give up our weapons are irrelevant."

The Palestinian interior ministry announced Tuesday it would oppose the presence of any irregular armed groups in Gaza following the pullout of Israeli soldiers from the territory which should be wrapped next month.

"The Palestinian Authority and the elected political leadership will not permit armed groups and private armies to be present in Palestinian zones where the (Israeli) occupation has ended," a statement said.