Fire devastates French migrant camp

Paris, April 11 (IANS) A migrant camp in France was devastated by a fire, as two rival groups turned on each other, with police firing tear gas to separate them, the media reported on Tuesday.

At least three people were injured in the brawl on Monday night at the Grande Synthe camp, home to an estimated 1,200 migrants outside the town of Dunkerque, The Telegraph reported.

According to the police, the brawl was said to be between Afghan and Kurdish migrants.

A fire broke out around 9 p.m., and within two hours much of the camp was destroyed, local media reports said.

The Grande Synthe was designed in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders, and meant to provide humanitarian aid for the hundreds of migrants left without shelter after the Calais "jungle" camp was bulldozed last October, reports the Telegraph.

The camp was opened in March 2016, and was designed as temporary housing for migrants.

The site consisted of around 300 houses, with shower blocks, communal kitchens, recreation areas and a medical centre. Access to all the services was free.

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