Moscow denounces terrorist activities targeting Palestinian refugees in Syria

MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned aggressive terrorist activities against Palestinian refugees in Syria, says a statement posted on the ministry’s website on Monday. The ministry reminded that "the situation in the southern suburb of Damascus - the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk - had deteriorated sharply over the past few days." According to the United Nations, the camp currently accommodates 18,000 Palestinian refugees. Media reports say that, after heavy fighting, including with the participation of Palestinian units, gunmen from the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra groups gained control over a sizable part of this area. "Immediately after that, terrorist gunmen launched extra-judicial killings of innocent civilians of the Palestinian camp," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "Russia strongly condemns these aggressive actions of terrorists targeting, in addition to civilian Syrian population, Palestinian refugees who found shelter in Syria decades ago," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "We reaffirm our solidarity with the Palestinians and the civilian population of the Syrian Arab Republic. We are convinced that the tragic events that took place in the Yarmouk refugee camp attest to the need to effectively pool regional and international efforts in countering terrorist groups wherever they operate. Double standards in this matter are extremely dangerous." Read more