This week, plans to evacuate Yarmouk camp in Damascus were suspended after the assassination of a rebel leader. The populous camp, established in 1957 for Palestinian refugees, has seen heavy fighting throughout the five year war, with control being won and lost by various groups during this period.
The camp was home to around 180,000 Palestinians and Syrians before the war. It was a well-functioning suburb of the Syrian capital, home to both professionals and the less well-off.
As the fighting intensified, various rebel groups took control of parts of the camp. The Free Syrian Army initially occupied it, which led to fierce clashes with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - the General Command (PLFP-GC), which supports President Bashar al-Assad.
A Syrian regime besiegement followed. Medical and food supplies were severely restricted, and there were numerous reports of indiscriminate shelling and barrel bombing.
During this time, the UN warned that malnutrition and starvation were rife within the camp.
A cease-fire was negotiated, which reportedly led to non-Palestinian groups leaving the camp.
In April, Daesh moved in and took control of an estimated 90% of the camp. The remaining 5,000-8,000 civilian refugees still living in the camp are now caught in the crossfire between warring groups and the Syrian regime.
A recent deal would have seen a mass evacuation of fighters and their families from Yarmouk, however it has now reportedly been put on hold after the assassination of Zahran Alloush, leader of the Army of Islam group.
There are conflicting reports on the current status of the negotiations, with Al Jazeera reporting that the deal may not have been cancelled, citing Yarmouk Camp News, an Arabic-language Facebook page which provides updates for Yarmouk residents.
