DAMASCUS, Syria, April 5 (UPI) -- Nearly 100 refugees escaped an embattled Palestinian refugee camp in Syria's capital amid bombing by the Syrian government and intense overnight fighting between competing Islamic rebel factions, the United Nations says.
The U.N. Relief and Works Agency says it provided canned food, water, mattresses and blankets to 94 civilians, including 43 women and 20 children, who fled the Yarmouk camp early Sunday.
"There have been some civilians who were able to flee the camp earlier today and we call on all parties to show maximum restraint so other civilians who wish to leave can be evacuated," UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness said in an email.
The Yarmouk camp was established for Palestinian refugees in 1957. It lies on the edge of Syria's capital, Damascus, and is home to 18,000 Palestinians and Syrians who lack adequate food and water as fighting rages among rebels factions and the Syrian government.
The Syrian government has besieged the camp for two years, but the recent eruption of fighting began Wednesday when Islamic State fighters -- allied with their usual rivals, the al-Qaida sponsored Nusra Front -- began an assault that would net 90 percent of the camp by Saturday, according to activists.
Palestinian fighters allied with Free Syrian Army rebels have attempted to defend against the offensive as the Syrian government continues to shell the area.
UNRWA released a statement Sunday demanding "humanitarian access and the establishment of secure conditions under which we can deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance and that enable civilians to be evacuated," since it is "virtually impossible for civilians to leave Yarmouk as any attempt to move in the open brings high risk."
But Al Jazeera's Stefanie Dekker says the Syrian government is unlikely to open a humanitarian corridor because of the threat of extremist forces filtering out as well.
"It is a complex situation," Dekker said. "The government forces control the northern part [of the camp] toward Damascus. It is their priority to keep the capital safe. The fact that [IS] fighters are less than 10 kilometers away is of huge concern. If they allow a humanitarian corridor, who will be coming out?"
