IS enters Palestinian camp in Damascus; Jordan closes border

[webfact]

IS enters Palestinian camp in Damascus; Jordan closes border
ALBERT AJI, Associated Press
BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Islamic State militants infiltrated a Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus on Wednesday and were clashing with a Palestinian group, the deepest foray yet by the extremist group into the Syrian capital, seat of President Bashar Assad's power, according to opposition activists and Palestinian officials.

Jordan, meanwhile, closed its only functioning border crossing with Syria, following heavy clashes on the Syrian side between rebels and government forces.

Islamic State fighters, who control large swaths of territory in northern Syria, entered the Yarmouk camp from the nearby Hajar Aswad neighborhood. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the IS group took control of large parts of the camp. If they gain full control, they can potentially threaten the heart of the capital.

The Observatory reported heavy clashes in the camp between IS fighters and members of an anti-Assad Palestinian faction called Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis.

Anwar Raja, the spokesman for the pro-Assad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine — General Command, said that IS fighters had been based in the Hajar Aswad neighborhood for months. He said Wednesday's push into the camp showed coordination between IS and a rival group, the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's branch in Syria.

"The Nusra Front opened the road for them in order to infiltrate the camp and several hours ago they entered Yarmouk," Raja said by telephone. It was not immediately clear why Nusra would facilitate the entry of IS into the camp.

Yarmouk, a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Damascus, has been under government siege for nearly two years. U.N. aid workers have been sending food parcels into the camp, where thousands of civilians remain trapped and in desperate need of food and medicine. The camp had witnessed fighting in the past between government forces and militants who control much of the camp.

The U.N. agency that supports Palestinians, known as UNRWA, said it was extremely concerned about the safety and protection of the Syrian and Palestinian civilians in Yarmouk, particularly the children.

"Credible information from public sources indicate that a variety of armed groups are engaged in fierce fighting in areas where Yarmouk's 18,000 civilians, including a large number of children reside, placing them at extreme risk of death, serious injury, trauma and displacement," the agency said in a statement. It demanded "an end to the fighting and a return to conditions that will enable its staff to support and assist Yarmouk's civilians."

Meanwhile, Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani told The Associated Press that the Nasib crossing was temporarily closed late Tuesday because of clashes nearby.

"It is important for us to keep the safety for the passengers and those who are trying to cross between the two countries," he said. "So we decided to close the border temporarily, until things calm down. Then we will open it again."

A spokesman for rebels in southern Syria, Issam al-Rayess, confirmed that rebel fighters were trying to take control of the border crossing from Syrian authorities.

The Nasib crossing is the only functioning crossing between Jordan and Syria and is considered a crucial gateway for Syria's government and for Syrian, Lebanese and Jordanian traders and merchants.

A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement on Wednesday said it holds Jordanian authorities responsible for "obstructing the movement of trucks and passengers and any ensuing economic or social repercussions."

Also Wednesday, a Nusra Front leader said that a Syrian city captured from government forces last week would be ruled according to Islamic law, or Sharia.

In an audio recording released by the group online, Abu Muhammed al-Golani also indicated the group does not seek to monopolize power in the northwestern city of Idlib, and called for the protection of state institutions and property.

A group of rebels led by the Nusra Front and the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham group seized Idlib from government officials Saturday, after a four-day assault.
___

Associated Press writers Zeina Karam in Beirut, Karin Laub in Amman, Jordan, and Cara Anna at the United Nations contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-04-02

[oldsailor35]

What in the hell are we to believe ! First we are told that ISIS is being beaten and on the backfoot and now we learn that they have walked into a 18000 strong refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus and are in control. Somebody has got to be bullshitting us !

[Steely Dan]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

[Johpa]

The Caliphate does not recognize Palestine anymore than it recognizes Israel.

[Seastallion]

Well if Israel hadn't....

Got ya! You started to get excited, didn't you?

No, just kidding. I know you want me to find something bad about Israel to complain about....but in this story, there isn't....directly.

The thing that strikes me about the story is the confusion. Who is fighting who and for whom? Pro Assad Palestinians vs anti-Assad Palestinians, AQ, ISIS..Nusra..do they even know amongst themselves where they sit and what they're fighting for?

What a mess.

[simple1]

What in the hell are we to believe ! First we are told that ISIS is being beaten and on the backfoot and now we learn that they have walked into a 18000 strong refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus and are in control. Somebody has got to be bullshitting us !

The battlefield has many different fronts, push back ISIS in one area they will pop up somewhere else. US coalltion military commander has gone on the public record it will take 2/3 years to defeat IS.

Who will provide sufficient forces to clear Syria of IS? Who will the international community accept to govern regained territory? I suggest is an open question as the Assad regeme has committed so many crimes against hummanity and continues to do so.

[RickyJB]

big bomb will sort them all out

[lvr181]

Does the kingdom of Jordan really think that by closing it borders that IS is not going to walk in at anytime it desires? Get prepared Jordan!

[ToddinChonburi]

Wow the fire just keeps getting bigger and bigger. it does seem for some sick reason that all these countries have been quiet to long and now are having to deal with Isis in there face. Good Muslim's around the world need to rise and put this bad apple to rest. They all slept while US soldiers bleed on foreign soil now it it time for them to stand up and defend themselves. Stand up and defend your own country and way of life.

The only real friend we have over there is Israel. The rest call us dogs when our backs are turned.

[Seastallion]

Wow the fire just keeps getting bigger and bigger. it does seem for some sick reason that all these countries have been quiet to long and now are having to deal with Isis in there face. Good Muslim's around the world need to rise and put this bad apple to rest. They all slept while US soldiers bleed on foreign soil now it it time for them to stand up and defend themselves. Stand up and defend your own country and way of life.

The only real friend we have over there is Israel. The rest call us dogs when our backs are turned.

Real friend? Israel doesn't send fighting troops anywhere except to occupied territory.

[RickyJB]

Wow the fire just keeps getting bigger and bigger. it does seem for some sick reason that all these countries have been quiet to long and now are having to deal with Isis in there face. Good Muslim's around the world need to rise and put this bad apple to rest. They all slept while US soldiers bleed on foreign soil now it it time for them to stand up and defend themselves. Stand up and defend your own country and way of life.

The only real friend we have over there is Israel. The rest call us dogs when our backs are turned.

obama brotherhood is trying his best to not be friends with israel,

[roquefort]

What in the hell are we to believe ! First we are told that ISIS is being beaten and on the backfoot and now we learn that they have walked into a 18000 strong refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus and are in control. Somebody has got to be bullshitting us !

Don't believe everything governments and the media tell you............in fact, don't believe anything governments and the media tell you. That's a pretty good starting point. There's plenty of unbiased information out there if you're prepared to look for it, then make up your own mind on who and what to believe.

[siampolee]

The current conflict is due to the involvement or to be truthful the interference of the western powers in others sovereign states affairs as those western powers did not approve of the regimes the originally installed and financed developing their own political ends..

Strong men were needed to control the tribal factions and to get them to live in relative harmony.

However the western powers or rather their leaders started to get somewhat concerned when Qaddafi started to reveal some truthful fact so he had to go, much as Saddam mythical weapons of mass destruction were used as an excuse for the industrial military complexes to fill their profit columns.

Every action has a consequence , now we are starting to see some frightening consequences the rabid ISIS groups are advancing and gaining ground, whether or not they will succeed in establishing a more permanent and dangerous power base remains to be seen.

In my opinion there will be and there is a lot of ongoing infighting within the assorted ISIS factions which with luck in time will cause an implosion and destroy the movement...

How long before that event may happen and how many lives will be destroyed in the run up to the final battle who knows ?

We are paying an ongoing heavy price for the establishment of a new world order that was and still is being pursued by the west in general,

Israel?

Goodness only knows what may happen there... Israel is in a very dangerous position and the Israeli reaction could tip the balance of both power and world peace into as yet an unknown and possibly frightening future for us all.

Indeed the leaders of the western backed nations involved in the wars of recent history in the region have created a monstrous web of violence and deceit.The cost of those ventures is now coming due in no uncertain fashion as we see on a daily basis.

[Pakboong]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

[Seastallion]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

Shhhh. Netanyahu wouldn't want that to get out, it goes against his "we need to defend ourselves" victim card.

[chuckd]

Wow the fire just keeps getting bigger and bigger. it does seem for some sick reason that all these countries have been quiet to long and now are having to deal with Isis in there face. Good Muslim's around the world need to rise and put this bad apple to rest. They all slept while US soldiers bleed on foreign soil now it it time for them to stand up and defend themselves. Stand up and defend your own country and way of life.

The only real friend we have over there is Israel. The rest call us dogs when our backs are turned.

Real friend? Israel doesn't send fighting troops anywhere except to occupied territory.

Have you ever paused long enough to think about what would happen with any coalition consisting of any Arab country or countries should Israel attempt to join the coalition?

The coalition would collapse...pure and simple.

If you recall during the first Gulf War the US went to great lengths to protect Israel from the Scuds being launched by Saddam's regime in the general direction of Tel Aviv. Their participation in the war on Kuwait would have caused the coalition to collapse.

Well, maybe you don't recall it.

FYI:

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ssfc0005/Israel%20and%20the%20Conflict.html

http://www.cfr.org/middle-east-and-north-africa/friendly-restraint-us-israel-relations-during-gulf-war-crisis-1990-199/p4870

[Steely Dan]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

You wouldn't be trying to float the logical fallacy that ISIS were therefore created by Israel would you?

[Pakboong]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

You wouldn't be trying to float the logical fallacy that ISIS were therefore created by Israel would you?

Not yet. I have actually been sitting on that simple sentence for a couple of months wondering when it would come ;up.

[Steely Dan]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

You wouldn't be trying to float the logical fallacy that ISIS were therefore created by Israel would you?

Not yet. I have actually been sitting on that simple sentence for a couple of months wondering when it would come ;up.

I see. A yes or no would have sufficed, but a repeated subliminal suggestion is evidently more amusing.

[Fat Haggis]

Here is a good read for those interested

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

And another with some correction and observations about the first one.

http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/02/18/3624121/atlantic-gets-dangerously-wrong-isis-islam/

Edited April 2, 2015 by Fat Haggis

[Anthony5]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

But wait, wasn't it pointed out by several members on this forum that ISIS was out to kill all the jews, so what are they doing in the Palestinian camp?

[JDGRUEN]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

But wait, wasn't it pointed out by several members on this forum that ISIS was out to kill all the jews, so what are they doing in the Palestinian camp?

ISIS is staging to kill Jews in Israel - as is obvious

[Fat Haggis]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

But wait, wasn't it pointed out by several members on this forum that ISIS was out to kill all the jews, so what are they doing in the Palestinian camp?

Read the two articles I posted earlier mate, you will get a better idea of their goals and their mindset

[RickyJB]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

But wait, wasn't it pointed out by several members on this forum that ISIS was out to kill all the jews, so what are they doing in the Palestinian camp?

ISIS is staging to kill Jews in Israel - as is obvious

I thought ISIS intentions was to kill EVERYONE that didnt lie down and agree to their way of thinking?? sharia law for all mankind , christians , muslims all getting slaughtered, once they kill everyone they´ll turn on each other, brainwashed , f***wits....

[Pakboong]

Hmh! An Islamic terror group which seems to have no interest in Israel????

You wouldn't be trying to float the logical fallacy that ISIS were therefore created by Israel would you?

Not yet. I have actually been sitting on that simple sentence for a couple of months wondering when it would come ;up.

I see. A yes or no would have sufficed, but a repeated subliminal suggestion is evidently more amusing.

The matter is certainly not crystal clear. I suspect there may be several countries lending support. I am curious mostly about the Israeli medical units operating in the Golan Heights. When questioned, they simply state that they care for any wounded person regardless of affiliation. I found that to be a very "not Israeli" response and leaves me wondering whether or not they are caring for ISIS. The conclusions are always about Al Queda, not ISIS. Why for example, would Israel operate a field hospital in the Golan Heights to care for foreign troops.

An under-noticed news report last week confirmed previously-held suspicions and strong implications that Israeli troops are aiding the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's official Syrian affiliate.

Speaking to Israeli occupation troops last week, a Wall Street Journal reporter on the ground in Mount Bental (part of the occupied Golan Heights) found that Israeli troops receive wounded al-Qaeda fighters, treat them in Israeli hospitals and send them back to continue fighting against the government in Syria.

Edited April 3, 2015 by Pakboong

[boomerangutang]

18,000 civilians in the camp. Wow, happy hunting grounds for ISIS young men who are looking for girls to rape (while pretending they're marrying them, then divorcing them right after the rape, to comply with Mohammed's rules on sex). .....while also forcibly recruiting Palestinian young men into their ranks.

Interesting that, with the various factions vying for control of Syria, ISIS is gaining the most ground. Even if a town is taken by rebels, ISIS will just show up and the Rebels will concede it to ISIS. When crapheads are all vying for control, it's the baddest m@thrf*krs in the region who are going to prevail. n It's always been a drag to be female in an Arab country. Now it's getting 20X worse, particularly for a girl between 9 and 17. Older than that, at least it won't be as physically and psychically painful to be raped.

[boomerangutang]

Hmmm, 18000 Palestinians being terrorized by the most evil people on Earth. Cue twenty pages of moral outrage from some of our esteemed members....hang on, it's ISIS not Israel, oh well cue the tumbleweeds instead.

But wait, wasn't it pointed out by several members on this forum that ISIS was out to kill all the jews, so what are they doing in the Palestinian camp?

ISIS is staging to kill Jews in Israel - as is obvious

Maybe so, but it will be a tough row to hoe even if they take over all of Syria and Iraq. Israel could go in with tanks and jets and bomb the crap out of ISIS right now if it wanted to. But it probably prefers to sit back and watch Arabs harming each other. Plus, it's a reminder to the rest of the world - of who holds the higher moral ground.

[Credo]

ISIS is taking over civilian areas. Bombing would create a HUGE amount of civilian casualties and probably not even a dent in ISIS.

[lvr181]

ISIS is taking over civilian areas. Bombing would create a HUGE amount of civilian casualties and probably not even a dent in ISIS.

And what is your viable alternative? Anyone can criticize.

[boomerangutang]

ISIS is taking over civilian areas. Bombing would create a HUGE amount of civilian casualties and probably not even a dent in ISIS.

Granted, there's no clean way to harm ISIS.

However, if they take over a civilian area, there are indications of the organization of those in control. It also helps to have 'intelligence/spies' on the ground. Yet the following are some indications of where the bad guys would be:

>>> convoys of military-style trucks coming in or out of the area, are likely to be ISIS

>>> armed guard posts are set up, usually by gates or by important (biggest) buildings, that would indicate the people in control exerting added control.

>>> munitions like AA batteries or howitzers, armored vehicles.

>>> In a courtyard attended by men in formation, the men leading the event (at the head, giving directions) would likely be baddies.

Knocking out such targets would not defeat ISIS, but would put a dent in their operations.