generalspeaking

Threatening Damascus, Beheading Palestinians

"The outskirts of Damascus have symbolic and strategic importance [for ISIS]."
"The Yarmouk camp is a gateway into both central Damascus and the area mentioned in Islamic apocalyptic traditions ('Muslims' stronghold will be in Ghouta, near a city called Damascus.')"
Hassan Hassan, Middle East analyst, co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror

The Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk has suffered siege by government forces for almost two years. There is an estimated 14 Palestinian groups in the camp, all of them attempting to achieve control of Yarmouk, even while the Syrian regime has tried to starve them out, has bombed them, and continues to bomb them with greater urgency now that ISIS has made inroads into the camp. Roughly 18,000 civilians remain trapped inside.

The regime's concern is that with ISIS now fighting the Palestinian groups for control of the area, it is the regime as well that is threatened in their capital city of Damascus. In control of northern areas, government military is intent on blocking rebel advances further into Damascus.Within Yarmouk, Islamic State terrorists are locked in battle with Hamas-linked Palestinian Islamists.

By Sunday, after its original Wednesday clashes in the camp, ISIS claimed control of between 50% to 90% of the camp.This brings ISIS too close to the heart of the Assad regime for their comfort, at the southern edge of Damascus. Reports that ISIS has benefited with the cooperation of al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front is doubly alarming to the Alawite regime.

ISIS terrorists have been indulging in their favourite method of elimination of those they perceive as enemies, by beheading both Palestinian fighters and Palestinian civilians alike. A senior Hamas figure, Sheikh Abu Salah Taha, was also beheaded, a graphic image posted online of his head held by an ISIS fighter.

There are rumours that the regime is so concerned over the potential of further jihadi incursions into Damascus that it has facilitated military aid to rebels inside the camp to aid in their conflict with ISIS. This early in their incursion ISIS appears to have gained significant ground in its advance. Reports have surfaced that the regime has dropped several barrel bombs in the embattled camp.


UNRWA has been unable to filter food or medical supplies to aid the refugees in their atrocity-ridden conflict zone. "That means that there is no food, there is no water and there is very little medicine", stated Chris Guinness grimly, speaking for the UN. "The situation in the camp is beyond inhumane. People are holed up in their houses, there is fighting going on in the streets. There are reports of ... bombardments. This has to stop and civilians must be evacuated."

Palestinian refugees shown queuing for food supplies in the Yarmouk refugee camp last year  Photo: AP/UNRWA

Labels: Al-Qaeda, Atrocities, Civil War, Conflict, Islamic State, Palestinians, Syria

posted by Pieface @ Monday, April 06, 2015