Background
On 17 December 2012, the Free Syrian Army and anti-government Palestinians took control of the camp. After subsequent heavy fighting, the FSA and the Syrian Army agreed to leave Yarmouk as a neutral, demilitarized zone, but the camp remained besieged and sporadic clashes continued. Syrian government forces besieged Yarmouk for two years, and as a result, approximately 200 people were believed to have died of hunger in 2014.[21]
The battle
ISIL storms the camp
On 1 April, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants entered the Yarmouk Refugee Camp from the Hajar Al-Aswad district, but were expelled the next day by Syrian and Palestinian rebels. However, ISIL re-entered the camp on 4 April and took control of 90% of it.[1][22] Local recruits were among the ISIL forces—having joined the militants due to anger at being starved by the Syrian government and disliking some of the rebel groups that controlled Yarmouk "for playing politics with the regime rather than confronting it."[23]
On 5 April, Jaysh al-Islam claimed that its fighters were refused access to the camp by al-Nusra Front and that al-Nusra allowed ISIL to enter the camp, which led to some defections from the first party.[3] The al-Nusra Front responded by defending its neutral stance in the conflict[24] and claimed to have mediated a ceasefire. It also denied rumors about the alleged defections.[25] Meanwhile, the Army bombed the camp with 13 barrel bombs.[26] A commander in the Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis was killed during clashes with ISIL.[27]
On 6 April, it was reported that about 2,000 people were evacuated from the camp since ISIL's attack.[8] The same day, pro-government Palestinian groups led by the Palestine Liberation Army, PFLP-GC and Fatah al-Intifada launched an assault against ISIL. They reportedly captured Morocco Street, Al-Ja’ounah Street and the Martyrs Cemetery and claimed to have killed 36 ISIL militant and controlled 40% of the Yarmouk camp.[4]
On 7 April, the fighting had ceased,[17] with ISIL in control of 95% of the camp.[6]
Rebel counterattack
On 12 April, Jaysh al-Islam and allied forces launched a counterattack on the ISIL-held Hajar al-Aswad district[28] and reportedly advanced.[29] Jaysh al-Islam also recaptured Al-Zein street in Yarmouk Camp from ISIL, during a nighttime operation.[30]
By 16 April, ISIL and al-Nusra were still holding 80% of the Yarmouk Camp, after clashes with Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis and other rebels.[7] Two days later, fighting between the rebels and ISIL expanded to the neighborhoods of al-Qaboun and Barzah. The rebels captured 9 ISIL militants[31] and killed 12 others.[32] By the next day, the ISIL attack on the two districts was repelled.[9]
On 19 April, an activist reported that ISIL was planning to leave the camp, although they had not yet done so. He also revealed that most of the al-Nusra Front fighters in Yarmouk Camp had defected to ISIL, and that the two groups were closely collaborating in the area. By then, Aknaf Bai al-Maqdis had dissolved and joined Syrian Government forces.[2]
Aftermath
After the retreat of ISIL, from al-Qaboun and Barzah districts, the UN continued trying to bring relief aid into Yarmouk Camp. However, the camp remained sealed off, and the relief workers were only able to deliver supplies to the communities outside of Yarmouk Camp.[33] Stil ISIL and al-Nusra Front, they holding at least the half of the camp.
_map.jpg)
al-Nusra Front[1][2]
Jaysh al-Islam[3]
Syrian Armed Forces
Palestine Liberation Army[4]
PFLP-GC[5]
Liwa Sham al-Rasul[3]
