Damascus – Action GroupÂ
Damascus Governor Maher Idlibi announced that the rehabilitation of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp south of the capital is part of a comprehensive plan developed by the governorate to revive damaged neighborhoods, following years of widespread destruction caused by fighting and siege.
In statements to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper, Idlibi explained that the plan includes removing rubble and debris from the camp’s neighborhoods, improving the electricity and water networks, paving or renovating Yarmouk and Palestine streets, the two main arteries in the area, and activating the internal transportation line to facilitate the movement of residents.
The governor indicated that the measures also include reopening a bakery inside the camp and installing a new electrical transformer, with the aim of preparing the conditions for the gradual return of life to the area, formerly known as the “capital of the Palestinian diaspora.”
Idlibi emphasized the symbolism of Yarmouk camp as one of the oldest neighborhoods in the capital and representing an integral part of the fabric of Damascus, emphasizing that Syrian Palestinians “shared the suffering of the Syrians over the past years,”especially the camp’s residents, who suffered heavy human and material losses.
Yarmouk Camp, established in 1957, is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Syria. Since 2012, it has been subjected to a siege and violent battles at the hands of former regime forces, resulting in widespread destruction of its infrastructure and homes, and the displacement of most of its residents, whose pre-revolution population was estimated at more than 200,000.