7 June 2011
A video from Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, Syria shows protestors shouting for the downfall of political factions.
More information is emerging about events in Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, Syria.
Yesterday, 6 June news emerged of the shooting of a number of people in the camp. According to various reports members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC) a small faction headed by Ahmad Jibril, opened fire on people protesting and chant slogans against faction leaders, after some protestors had set fire to a PFLP-GC building. A shocking video showed an unarmed young man being shot in the head, although the shooter is not visible.
Unclear how many people were killed
Various reports have put the number of people killed between 4 and 14.
Lebanon’s The Daily Star reported that the PFLP-GC claimed that two of its own people were killed:
DAMASCUS: Four people were killed at the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital on Monday after the funerals of nine people killed by Israeli fire on the Golan Heights, witnesses said.
They said two people were shot by militants of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, and the PFLP-GC said two of its people were also killed.
Parents of those killed on the Golan blamed the heads of Palestinian groups based in Damascus, in particular PFLP-GC chief Ahmed Jibril, the witnesses said.
“Members of the PFLP-GC opened fire, killing two Palestinians,” one resident of the camp said.
The group issued a statement saying that two of its senior men were also killed, naming them as central committee member Nasser Mubarak and Khaled al-Rayyan, an administrator.
Note that the PFLP-GC despite the similarity in name is not the same as the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine). Some reports have erroneously conflated the two. The PFLP-GC is loyal to and strongly supported by the Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad.
The protests in Yarmouk camp apparently began after funerals of 9 people who had been killed by Israeli forces in the Golan Heights during the Naksa day marches last Sunday when Israeli snipers shot dead up to two dozen people.
PFLP-GC blames “outside conspiracy”
In an Arabic language statement on its own website, the PFLP-GC blamed an “external conspiracy” directed by figures in the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah against the Palestinian resistance and against Syria for the “unfortunate events” in the camp and said that its security men opened fire to defend the group’s leaders and property from attack. It provided no evidence to substantiate its claims of external involvement.
Videos show protestors turning on “factions”
New videos show more of the 6 June events in Yarmouk camp, including a mass protest as what is said to be the PFLP-GC building burns. In the first video, posted above, protestors are apparently heard shouting “al-sha’ab yurid isqat al-fasa’il” - or “The people want the fall of the factions.” Political factions have a long history of exercising some governance functions and controlling resources and patronage within refugee camps.
Burning of HQ of the Popular Front in Yarmouk camp
Burning of the HQ of the Popular Front which is loyal to the regime
Update
@PalYouthVoice is in touch with Yarmouk camp residents online.
Comments
Yarmouk
Permalink KHALID replied on
the pnn.ps and imemc website say it was the pflp and not jibrils gc.[???)
PFLP-GC vs PFLP
Permalink Ali Abunimah replied on
PFLP-GC claimed in its statement that protestors tried to attack the head of PFLP-GC and the representative of PFLP. But all the accounts I have seen say clearly that PFLP-GC were the ones whose offices were burned and whose people opened fire. Much remains unclear.