56 Palestinian children were arrested by the Syrian security forces in Yalda town, south of Damascus, after schoolchildren from AlJarmak School tore a poster of the Syrian president.

An AGPS reporter said Syrian officers raided AlJarmak School and arrested 20 children. Another 36 schoolchildren were arrested from their homes. The arrestees are aged between 10 and 16.

Tension has been running high in the area. Civilians have appealed to all concerned parties to work on releasing their children at the soonest possible time over torture concerns.

Syrian authorities claimed the arrested children were affiliated with ISIS militias, which the families strongly denied.

A boy who was released sometime later said the students were interrogated over alleged ties with ISIS.

Over 5,000 Palestinian refugees have been taking shelter in southern Damascus towns, where they continue to struggle for survival due to the price leap, steep rental fees, high unemployment rates, and security upheaval.