PALESTINIANS IN SYRIA UNITE TO DEFEND YARMOUK AGAINST ISIL

Damascus, 24 Jumadil Akhir 1436/13 April 2015 (MINA) – Palestinians living in Syria have joined other Palestinian factions in their fight against the ISIL in the Yarmouk refugee camp in southern Damascus.

Palestinians from different refugee camps in war-torn Syria have been reporting to the offices of Palestinian factions in order to volunteer in the fight against ISIL, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Sunday.

Tayseer Mousa, a member of the Palestinian Fatah al-Intifada Group, said the group’s offices are packed with people volunteering to join the efforts to defend Yarmouk. He added that some have been helping in fighting while others have been building barriers.

The volunteers are fighting the ISIL terrorists, who stormed Yarmouk on April 1.

Waleed Suleiman, one of the volunteers, told Press TV, “I was returning from work to my home. I saw crowds of people gathering on the street. They told me that ISIL entered Yarmouk and they are going there to join the Palestinians defending the camp. I joined them at once. I had to defend my people at the camp.”

On April 11, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Pierre Krahenbuhl, announced that the group was heading to Syria on an “urgent mission” to discuss delivering assistance to civilians trapped in the refugee camp, after voicing concerns for some 18,000 Palestinians, including 3,500 children.

Yarmouk was once home to 160,000 Syrians and Palestinians. However, it has turned into a ghost town as a result of the violent attacks by anti-government militants over the past four years of tumult in Syria.

The camp, which is one of six Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, is of significance as it hosts the headquarters of the main Palestinian factions. (T/P001/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)