UN chief condemns attacks against Yarmouk refugee camp

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday strongly condemned the shelling and aerial bombardment of the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus on Tuesday despite assurances from the Syrian government that the camp would not be attacked while civilians remained inside.

Ban called on the Syrian government to immediately end any military operation that could endanger the lives of civilians in Yarmouk camp and abide strictly by its obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians during armed conflict, according to a UN statement.

He also appealed to all parties to stop the violence so as to grant secure and sustained humanitarian access to civilians inside the camp. Thousands of civilians in the camp are besieged by terrorist and other armed groups on the inside and government forces on the outside, according to the statement.

"The Secretary-General urged the Security Council and Member States with influence on the parties on the ground, including the Syrian Government, to do all in their power to protect civilian lives," it said.

Set up as a refugee camp for Palestinians in the 1950s, Yarmouk slowly evolved into a neighborhood over the years, but it has been engulfed in the Syrian conflict since 2012.

Earlier this month, the Islamic State (IS) militants launched attacks on Yarmouk, aiming to seize the camp from rivaling rebels. The offensive worsened the already appalling conditions for its residents.