Regime forces take ground from Daesh in southern Damascus

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syrian regime forces backed by Iranian and Palestinian militias have taken ground from Daesh in the southern neighborhoods of Damascus, activists said Monday.

Regime forces are seeking to end Daesh's years-long foothold in the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk and neighboring district of Hajar al-Aswad, both in southern Damascus.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said Monday that Daesh fighters have killed more than 30 troops in al-Hajar al-Aswad and Yarmouk camp.

Last week, troops managed to sever a route linking the two areas, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said, but Daesh launched a fightback at the weekend and successfully reopened it.

"Their hit-and-run operations have continued since then, killing a total of 31 regime forces, mostly in ambushes," Rami Abdel-Rahman said, head of the Britain-based Observatory.

"The regime has since been advancing slowly, taking some positions and buildings, but there hasn't been any strategic advance since Saturday," he told AFP.

Regime troops control 60 percent of Hajar al-Aswad, while Daesh still holds more than 80 percent of Yarmouk.

Forces loyal to President Bashar Assad were pounding both districts with air strikes and shelling on Monday, Abdel-Rahman said.

Since the start of the offensive in mid-April, more than 150 regime forces have been killed, as well as 120 Daesh fighters, the Observatory said.

Another 47 civilians also died in the fighting.

Yarmouk was once a thriving Palestinian camp that was home to around 160,000 people but only a few hundred are expected to still remain.

Syria's government besieged the camp in 2012, and Daesh overran large swathes of it three years later.

Assad set his sights on the capital's south after reconquering a major rebel bastion east of Damascus earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the fifth bath of southern Damascus evacuees left to northern Syria.

It was the fourth day of transfers for the towns of Yalda, Babila, and Beit Saham where around 5000 people, including rebels and civilians have been evacuated. (Zaman Al Wasl, Agencies)

Zaman Al Wasl