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World

ISIS fighters clash with Palestinians in refugee camp in Damascus, activists say

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    FILE - This picture taken on Jan. 31, 2014, and released by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), shows residents of the besieged Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, queuing to receive food supplies, in Damascus, Syria. On Wednesday, April. 1, 2015 Islamic State militants infiltrated the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in the Syrian capital marking the deepest foray yet by the extremist group into Damascus, seat of President Bashar Assad’s power, Syrian opposition activists and Palestinian officials said. (AP Photo/UNRWA, File) (The Associated Press)

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    FILE - This picture taken on Thursday, April. 24, 2014 and provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), U.N relief workers with blue helmets and vests stand next of residents of the besieged Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, right, who stand in line to receive aid food distributed by UNRWA, on the southern edge of the Syrian capital Damascus, Syria. On wednesday, April. 1, 2015 Islamic State militants infiltrated the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk in the Syrian capital marking the deepest foray yet by the extremist group into Damascus, seat of President Bashar Assad’s power, Syrian opposition activists and Palestinian officials said. (AP Photo/UNRWA, File ) (The Associated Press)

BEIRUT – Syrian activists and a Lebanon-based TV station are reporting that Islamic State militants have infiltrated a Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital, Damascus, and are fighting with a group inside the camp.

The reports mark the deepest infiltration yet by ISIS militants into Damascus. If they gain control of the Yarmouk camp, they can threaten President Bashar Assad's seat of power.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says clashes broke out Wednesday in Yarmouk between ISIS fighters and members of the Palestinian faction called Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis.

The Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV says the ISIS extremist fighters entered the camp from the nearby neighborhood of Hajar Aswad. That southern Damascus neighborhood is controlled by militants.

Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, says ISIS "now controls large parts of the camp."