Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday declared that the Hamas-controlled Auxiliary Forces in the Gaza Strip were illegal and outlawed.

Abbas' statement was announced by a spokesman and came as part of a reshuffle Abbas intends to make among security chiefs in a bid to end recent chaos in the Palestinian Territories.

"As the existing security institutions failed to impose respect of law and protect the people, the president has decided to make are shuffle among security commanders," the spokesman was quoted by Palestinian official news agency Wafa as saying.

The spokesman added that Auxiliary Forces, controlled by Interior Minister Said Siam and established in Gaza in the months after Hamas took power in early 2006, were illegal and would be dealt with until they became part of official security departments.

In the meantime, Islam Shahwan, a spokesman for the Auxiliary Forces, has rejected Abbas' decision.

"The President has no right to sack the Auxiliary Forces because they belong to Mr. Siam," Shahwan told Xinhua. "The forces are also part of the interior ministry and the government."

Shahwan also reiterated that Abbas had approved the formation of the forces in the past.

The Auxiliary Forces, consist mainly of Hamas fighters, have participated in recent gun battles between Hamas and Fatah following Abbas' call for early elections.

When the forces were created last April, Interior Minister Siam said that they were formed to help police imposing order.