Last month, mortar attacks killed 20 Palestinians in Yarmouk, and both sides blamed the other. And a prominent Syrian-born pro-al-Assad Palestinian was killed.

Airstrikes on Sunday in Yarmouk killed and wounded residents, damaged a mosque and "left the camp devastated." The assault prompted a denunciation of the government from the Palestine Liberation Oraganization.

The fighting forced the escape of many people to other places in Syria and to Lebanon, but Mohammed said several thousands have returned and some shops are opening.

Many displaced Palestinians have been living for decades in Yarmouk, a nearly square-mile district about five miles from the center of Damascus. Formed in 1957, the urban enclave is the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria.

Russia wants talks but isn't wedded to the al-Assad regime

Meanwhile, Russia, long friendly to the al-Assad regime, is looking past the Syrian government for a solution.

Russia's president declared Thursday that its goal is to end the bloody conflict in Syria, not help the nation's embattled president cling to power at all costs.

"We are advocating the solution that would prevent the collapse of the region and the continuous civil war," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Moscow. "Not retain al-Assad and his regime."

To do that, he said, talks between opposing sides are crucial.

"First, people should negotiate, agree on how their participation would be guaranteed ... not first destroy everything and then try to negotiate," Putin said.

Al-Assad has not visited Moscow much in his tenure, and Russia does not have "special economic relations" with Syria, according to Putin.

Russia is "not concerned" about al-Assad's fate, he said.

"We understand what's going on (in Syria). We know that this family has been in power for 40 years," he said.

U.S. officials have accused Russia and China of blocking tough efforts against al-Assad by vetoing U.N. Security Council resolutions against the Syrian government.