Thousands of Palestinians Displaced by Violence in Lebanese Refugee Camp

Ongoing violence has caused an estimated three thousand Palestinians living in the Ain Al-Helweh refugee camp in Sidon, Lebanon, to flee from their homes according to the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA). Three deaths were reported Tuesday night as gunmen of the Jund Al-Sham Islamists fought against those loyal to Fatah, the Palestinian faction headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. UNRWA, which is responsible for the refugees, says it has launched humanitarian efforts to provide food, shelter and medical treatment to those affected by the violence. About 54,000 of the 450,000 Palestinian refugees who live in Lebanon are in the Ain Al-Helweh camp which is one of a dozen. The Palestinian refugee community is segregated from the Lebanese population and limited in their rights and privileges.