Amid ISIS Offensive, Besieged Refugee Camp in Syria Under 'Profound Threat'

Aid organizations and residents are warning of a mounting humanitarian disaster in Syria’s Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, where approximately 18,000 residents are caught between an ongoing offensive by ISIS militants and air bombardments from the Syrian government’s armed forces.

ISIS launched an attack on the camp on April 1 and was met with fierce fighting from the militia Aknaf Beit al-Madqis, which is described by the Electronic Intifada as “an anti-government militia in the camp aligned with the Palestinian faction Hamas.”

The Yarmouk-based human rights NGO Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development reports that the onslaught on the camp was coordinated between ISIS and the Syrian al-Qaeda aligned Jabhat al-Nusra. According to the Jafra Foundation, numerous civilians volunteered to help defend the camp against the offensive.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain, reported over the weekend that the Syrian Air Force, led by President Bashar al-Assad, dropped bombs on Yarmouk.

Major media outlets have been unable to verify key information about the fighting, due to the lack of security and access. However, witnesses and organizations on the ground describe the situation as dire.

“There are no definitive numbers reported for those injured or deceased but as of now 15 people have been confirmed as deceased and around 60 people have been reported in critical condition,” said the Jafra Foundation over the weekend.