A grenadeexploded outside the office of the UN relief agency inLebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp today, damagingthe building but injuring no one.
They said the blast hit the headquarters of the UN Reliefand Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees in the Ainel-Hilweh camp in south Lebanon in the early morning, when theoffice and surrounding streets were largely empty.
Armed Palestinian factions who have effective control of Ainel-Hilweh fanned out through the streets of the camp followingthe blast.
Residents of Ain el-Hilweh and other refugee camps havestaged protests in recent weeks against cuts in services byUNRWA, which provides health and education services forPalestinian refugees throughout the Middle East.
The camp, one of 12 in Lebanon housing some 360,000Palestinian refugees, has also been the site of sporadic armedclashes and bombings in recent months related to frictionbetween Palestinian factions and Lebanese Islamist groups.