Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015)
The Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015) refers to a military offensive launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in April 2015 to seize control of the Yarmouk Camp, a Palestinian refugee camp located on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria. The camp, already severely impacted by the Syrian Civil War and years of siege, became the site of intense fighting between ISIS, other rebel groups, and Palestinian factions attempting to defend their territory.
Prior to the ISIS offensive, Yarmouk Camp had been controlled by a mix of rebel groups, including factions affiliated with the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat al-Nusra. The camp also housed a significant civilian population, trapped within the conflict zone with limited access to food, water, and medical care.
The ISIS incursion involved a rapid advance into the camp, overwhelming some rebel defenses. The fighting resulted in widespread destruction, displacement of civilians, and a humanitarian crisis. Various Palestinian factions, including Hamas and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), attempted to coordinate a defense against ISIS, but the group maintained a significant presence within the camp.
The battle continued for several weeks, with reports of summary executions, forced recruitment, and the use of civilians as human shields. While ISIS did not achieve complete control of Yarmouk Camp, they established a foothold and exerted considerable influence. The Syrian government and its allies also launched airstrikes and artillery attacks on the camp during the fighting, further exacerbating the humanitarian situation.
After the initial offensive in 2015, Yarmouk Camp remained a contested area for several years. Syrian government forces eventually retook the camp from ISIS in May 2018 as part of a larger offensive to regain control of the Damascus area. The battle left Yarmouk Camp devastated, with much of its infrastructure destroyed and its population dispersed. The long-term impact of the battle on the Palestinian refugee community and the broader Syrian conflict remains significant.