ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: The UNHCR has temporarily stopped the relocation of Afghan refugees from Jalozai and Peshawar to the Old Bagzai camp in Kurram agency after a worker of an NGO was killed in the fighting that broke out between two refugee groups, UN officials said.

Speaking at a news conference here on Thursday, UNHCR spokesperson, Yousaf Hasan said fighting erupted between two groups in villages neighbouring Old Bagzai camp in Kurram agency in the NWFP. A staff member of an implementing partner was killed and two others were injured in the crossfire, he said.

Earlier, the UNHCR official said, delegation from one of the warring groups had entered the camp and the staff had to call in the local authorities to have them removed.

Giving details of the incident, the spokesperson said the fighting occurred about a kilometre away from the camp forcing the UNHCR to evacuate its staff to the nearby town of Sadda.

The spokesperson said the local authorities have intervened and paramilitary units have been deployed to separate the two groups. A loya jirga was also convened to resolve the dispute and the UNHCR would resume work as soon as security situation permits, he said.

Regretting the killing, the spokesperson said the UNHCR has consistently expressed its concern about the security of its staff, the staff of its implementing partners and the refugees in the tribal areas near the Pakistan-Afghan border where all the new refugee camps are situated.