RAMALLAH, April 4, 2015 (WAFA) –
Palestinian Presidency Saturday called to not drag Palestinians in Syria’s
Yarmouk Refugee Camp in fighting among various armed groups.
The ‘Islamic State’ (IS) group
fighters have reportedly taken control of 90% of the Palestinian refugee camp,
located on Damascus outskirts, as gun battles continued to rage between this
group and various Palestinian groups throughout the camp since last Wednesday.
After being initially pushed back by
various fighting groups, IS group made fresh advances since Thursday and has
reportedly seized control of the square where the camp’s 18,000 residents
usually gather to receive aid handouts.
Rapidly acting to save Palestinian
refugees in the camp, presidential sources affirmed Saturday that they have
been making ‘intensive’ contacts with several Arab, international and
humanitarian actors to save the Yarmouk residents from the tragedy befalling
them.
They affirmed that it is necessary
for Palestinians not to be embroiled in the ongoing fighting as well as
affirmed President Mahmoud Abbas’ position of non-interference in the internal
affairs of Arab states.
UNRWA has recently expressed
‘extreme’ concerns about the safety and protection of Syrian and Palestinian
refugees in the camp.
In
a press release issued Wednesday, UNRWA Spokesperson Chris Gunness announced
last Wednesday that UNRWA was not able to distribute humanitarian assistance in
Yarmouk.
He stated “UNRWA is extremely
concerned about the safety and protection of Syrian and Palestinian civilians
in Yarmouk, where since early afternoon today, intensive armed conflict has
been ongoing between armed groups present in the area.”
Highlighting the volatile situation in the camp, he further
stated that “a variety of armed groups have been engaged in fierce fighting in
areas where Yarmouk's 18,000 civilians, including some 3,500 children reside,
placing them at extreme risk of death, serious injury, trauma and
displacement.”
“In
the strongest possible terms, UNRWA demands from all parties respect for and
compliance with their obligations to ensure the protection of civilians in
Yarmouk. UNRWA further demands an end to the fighting and a return to
conditions that will enable its staff to support and assist Yarmouk’s
civilians.”
K.F./T.R.
