Services resume in Lebanon's largest Palestinian camp despite violence

The UN is looking to resume its services in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp, Ain al-Hilweh, as a huge clear-up operation gets under way.

"UNRWA... is working to restore its services in the camp as quickly as possible," UNRWA’s newly appointed country director Claudio Cordone said, adding that UNRWA would resume its activities on Friday morning.

In an interview with Lebanese Daily Star, Cordone told the newspaper earlier this week that despite the upsurge of violence between al-Qaeda affiliated militant group Bilal Badr and Palestinian factions, provisions inside the refugee camp will remain.

He visited the camp on Monday as a part of his induction to his newly appointed role and inspected the quality of social provisions.

He had also spoken to Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials and promised them that UNRWA will continue to provide provisions even during instability.

Clashes erupted in Ain al-Hilweh last Friday when Bilal Badr opened fire at Palestinian factions in the camp, killing and injuring scores of civilians.

Multiple armed factions reside in the camp and it has been plagued by intermittent clashes between them as well as against smaller extremist groups.

Lebanon's army does not enter Palestinian refugee camps, where security is managed by joint committees of Palestinian factions.

Ain al-Hilweh is home to some 61,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 who have fled the war in Syria.