Syrian jet fires rocket at Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus
Source: The Guardian
At least one rocket from a Syrian air force jet has killed and wounded dozens of Palestinians in the largest refugee camp in Damascus, sending thousands of residents fleeing for other areas of the capital now wracked by civil war.
Sunday's attack is believed to be the first strike against the Yarmouk camp by an air force jet, the most potent weapon used so far by the regime in its defence of the capital. The rocket hit a mosque near the centre of the camp, killing at least 25 people, Reuters reports. There was panic in the area near the mosque. Videos posted online showed the dead and injured being collected by residents.
...
The Yarmouk camp has steadily been drawn into the fighting in Damascus over the past month. Though hit by an artillery shell in August, which killed 20 people, the camp had largely remained a relative safe haven as security disintegrated elsewhere in the capital amid rebel attempts to advance towards the regime's power base.
...
The attack is believed to have occurred after sporadic fighting inside the camp over the past fortnight between rebel units and Palestinian factions loyal to Assad, headed by Ahmed Jibril, a veteran local leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine general committees.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/16/syrian-rocket-palestinian-refugee-camp
Reuters report: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/16/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE8AJ1FK20121216
= new reply since forum marked as read
