The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) declared on Friday suspending its humanitarian operations in Palestiian refugee camp of Ain El-Helweh in response to gunmen's takeover of its facilities.
The UNRWA said in a statement that it had decided to suspend all its services at the refugee camp due to ongoing presence of the armed men at its buildings and schools, warning that the Palestinian students might not be able to attend classes at onset of the upcoming scholastic year because of the situation.
It reiterated the call upon the gunmen to vacate its buildings instantly.
UNRWA provides relief and educational services and aid to some 50,000 refugees in Ain Al-Helweh, a shanty town situated on outskirts of the southern Lebanese port city of Sidon, some 40 kms from the capital Beirut.
The camp has recently witnessed bitter fighting among factions, inflicting heavy casualties and losses
Source: Kuwait News Agency
