Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015)

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.[6][23] 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."[24]

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.[7] The al-Nusra Front responded by defending its neutral stance in the conflict[25] and claimed to have mediated a ceasefire. It also denied rumors about the alleged defections.[26] Meanwhile, the Army bombed the camp with 13 barrel bombs.[27] A commander in the Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis was killed during clashes with ISIL.[28]

On 6 April, it was reported that about 2,000 people were evacuated from the camp since ISIL's attack.[1] The same day, pro-government Palestinian groups led by the Palestine Liberation Army, the PFLP, 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.[8]

On 7 April, the fighting had ceased,[18] with ISIL in control of 95% of the camp.[4]

On 12 April, Jaysh al-Islam and allied forces launched a counterattack on the ISIL-held Hajar al-Aswad district[29] and reportedly advanced.[30] Jaysh al-Islam also recaptured Al-Zein street in Yarmouk Camp from ISIL, during a nighttime operation.[31]

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.[32] Two days later, fighting between the rebels and ISIL expanded to the neighborhoods of al-Qaboun and Barzah. The rebels captured 9 ISIL militants[33] and killed 12 others.[34]

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.[3] By 20 April, the ISIL attack on the two districts had been repelled.[2]

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) launched a big assault in the Yarmouk Camp, targeting the neighbourhoods controlled by Aknaf Beit Al-Maqdis and Jaysh Al-Islam.

According to the terrorist group’s official media wing, their forces captured the Yarmouk Hospital and several buildings nearby after overtaking the Islamist fighters in the southern part of the district.

Most of the Yarmouk Camp is under the occupation of the Islamic State, which leaves the remaining civilians inside the district at the mercy of the terrorist group.

While the Syrian Red Crescent and U.N. have attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to the beleaguered neighbourhoods of Yarmouk, they have found themselves often blocked by the Islamic State terrorists manning checkpoints between this district and nearby Palestine Camp.[40]

On 5 January 2018, Jaysh al-Islam fighters attempted to infiltrate ISIL positions within the orchards situated in-between Yalda and Hajjar As-Aswad.[41] After weeks of sporadic clashes, ISIL managed to capture 3/4 of Yarmouk Camp. By 27 January, ISIL almost entirely controlled Hajjar al-Aswad after breaking through the last lines of defense, and were on the verge of entering the town of Yalda. During the same time, further areas had also been captured in Yarmouk district.[42]