Syria: Security Situation in Damascus City and Yarmouk
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6/2018 SYRIA Security Situation in Damascus City and Yarmouk Report based on interviews in Damascus, Syria, Beirut, Lebanon and Amman, Jordan, 12-23 March 2018 Copenhagen, August 2018 Danish Immigration Service Ryesgade 53 2100 Copenhagen Ø Phone: 00 45 35 36 66 00 Web: www.newtodenmark.dk Contents Disclaimer .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction and methodology ......................................................................................................................... 4 Abbreviations..................................................................................................................................................... 6 1. General security situation in Damascus Province ................................................................................. 7 1.1. Prevalence of security incidents in Damascus City and the extent and type of casualties ............... 8 1.1.1. Shelling ...................................................................................................................................... 9 1.1.2. Asymmetric warfare incidents ................................................................................................. 10 1.1.3. Updated security situation in Damascus City .......................................................................... 11 1.2. Prevalence of security incidents in Yarmouk and the extent and type of casualties ...................... 13 1.2.1. Clashes ..................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2.2. Human rights violations ........................................................................................................... 13 1.2.3. Updated security situation in Yarmouk ................................................................................... 14 1.3. Prevalence of internally displaced persons in Damascus City ......................................................... 15 1.4. Freedom of movement in Damascus province, including impact of ethnic/religious background, gender, economic situation and place of origin .......................................................................................... 16 1.4.1. Freedom of movement in Damascus City ............................................................................... 16 1.4.1.1. Checkpoints affecting daily movement ............................................................................... 16 1.4.1.2. Purpose of checkpoints ....................................................................................................... 16 1.4.1.3. Prevalence and locations of checkpoints ............................................................................ 16 1.4.1.4. Checkpoint procedures ........................................................................................................ 17 1.4.1.5. Wanted lists distributed to checkpoints .............................................................................. 18 1.4.1.6. Treatment of family members of wanted individuals approaching checkpoints ................ 19 1.4.1.7. Impact of ethnic and religious background or place of origin on treatment at checkpoints 19 1.4.1.8. Treatment of other profiles at checkpoints ........................................................................ 20 1.4.1.9. Corruption and extortion at checkpoints ............................................................................ 21 1.4.2. Freedom of movement in Yarmouk......................................................................................... 21 2. Returning to Syria, including entry in Syria via Damascus International Airport .................................... 21 2.1. General pattern regarding return to Syria ...................................................................................... 21 2.2. Entry in Syria via Damascus International Airport ........................................................................... 23 2.3. Consequences of illegal exit ............................................................................................................ 24 Consulted sources ........................................................................................................................................... 26 1 Appendix A: Meeting minutes ......................................................................................................................... 27 A Damascus-based lawyer ........................................................................................................................... 27 A diplomatic source in Beirut ...................................................................................................................... 31 A diplomatic source in Damascus ................................................................................................................ 35 A humanitarian organisation ....................................................................................................................... 36 A humanitarian security organisation ......................................................................................................... 39 Amnesty International ................................................................................................................................. 46 An international human rights organisation ............................................................................................... 48 An international organisation in Syria ......................................................................................................... 52 An international security organisation ........................................................................................................ 56 Christopher Kozak, Institute for the Study of War (ISW) ............................................................................ 59 Danish Red Cross ......................................................................................................................................... 65 Lama Fakih, deputy director, Human Rights Watch (HRW) ........................................................................ 68 Heiko Wimmen, International Crisis Group (ICG) ....................................................................................... 72 Mercy Corps - Humanitarian Access Team (HAT) ........................................................................................ 73 REACH .......................................................................................................................................................... 77 Syria Direct .................................................................................................................................................. 79 World Health Organization (WHO) .............................................................................................................. 85 Annex B: Terms of Reference .......................................................................................................................... 88 2 Disclaimer This report was written according to the EASO COI Report Methodology. 1 The report is based on approved minutes from meetings with carefully selected sources. Statements from sources are used in the report and all statements are referenced. This report is not, and does not purport to be, a detailed or comprehensive survey of all aspects of the issues addressed in the report and should be weighed against other available country of origin information on the security situation in Damascus province and the situation for returnees, including entry via Damascus International Airport. The report at hand does not include any policy recommendations or analysis. The information in the report does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Danish Immigration Service or the Danish Refugee Council. Furthermore, this report is not conclusive as to the determination or merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Terminology used should not be regarded as indicative of a particular legal position. 1 European Union: European Asylum Support Office (EASO), EASO Country of Origin Information report methodology, 10 July 2012. http://www.refworld.org/docid/4ffc33d32.html [accessed 18 June 2018] 3 Introduction and methodology The report at hand focuses on the security situation in Damascus province in Syria, including the security situation in Damascus City and Yarmouk, freedom of movement and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Additionally, the report contains information on general patterns regarding returnees and entry in Syria via Damascus International Airport. The report is the product of a joint mission conducted by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Country of Origin Information Division, Danish Immigration Service (DIS) to Damascus, Syria, Beirut, Lebanon and Amman, Jordan from 12 to 23 March 2018. In the planning phase of the mission, contacts were established with relevant sources who confirmed their availability on the given dates of our mission. The delegation also consulted one source in Washington, USA via Skype. The purpose of the mission was to collect updated information on issues recurring in cases regarding Syrian asylum seekers in Denmark. The terms of reference for the mission were drawn up jointly by DIS and DRC, in consultation with the Danish Refugee Appeals Board