The UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday said that 18 of its staffers have been killed in Syria since the outbreak of the revolution in March 2011, adding that 28 others were still missing or kidnapped.
The agency said that the victims were killed as a result of shelling, sniping fire, random gunfire, murder, and explosions of car bombs and IEDs.
Nearly 4,000 UNRWA staffers currently operate in Syria as the agency relies on its staff for the provision of basic services to the Palestinian-Syrians across Syria, especially in the areas of education, health and relief aid.
In July 8, the Action Group for the Palestinians of Syria said that it registered the names of at least 3,987 Palestinian-Syrians who have been killed across Syria since the outbreak of the revolution in March 2011. It noted that the victims were killed as a result of bombardment, siege, and torture in prisons and detention centers.
The London-based Group indicated that of those, 1,212 died as a result of shelling, 1,077 by gunfire, 604 under torture in Assad prisons, 311 by sniper fire, 205 as a result of siege and lack of medical care, 142 by bombings, 92 in summary executions by regime forces, 87 by unknown reasons, 52 by drowning in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe, and 315 by other causes, including hanging, burning and suffocation.
Backed by the Russian air forces, the Assad regime forces launched major military operations against camps for the Palestinian refugees in various areas across Syria, especially in the camps of Yarmouk, Dara’a, Khan al-Sheeh, Handarat, and Mazirib. The Assad regime and Russian shelling caused extensive damage to the infrastructure, including UNRWA-supported schools and other facilities. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
