Syria said on Wednesday that military action is needed to solve the worsening situation in the Yarmuk refugee camp, one day after it said it was ready to offer Palestinians its firepower to support their battle with the Islamic State group there.

The deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian refugee camp has pushed the UN Security Council to demand greater access to residents trapped between the encroaching IS militants and besieging government forces.

The fierce clashes that began on April 1 have ceased, but regime forces continue to drop barrel bombs on the camp, which lies six kilometers from central Damascus.