ISIS terrorist group launches counter attack in southern Damascus

ISIS militants on Thursday have launched a counter attack on regime forces in southern Damascus suburbs following gains made by the regime and allied militias, Amaaq agency said.

Syrian regime forces Tuesday retook the neighborhood of Hajar al-Aswad from Daesh after almost one month of a fierce air and ground assault against the final Daesh-held pocket of the capital.

Since the assault began in April 19, 221 pro-government fighters and 189 Daesh militants have been killed – nearly half of them in Hajar al-Aswad alone.

ISIS remains in control of the nearby district of Tadamon and 70 percent of the adjacent district of Yarmouk, a sprawling Palestinian camp.

Such deals have allowed the government to recapture swathes of territory across Syria.

Around 160,000 Palestinian refugees once lived in Yarmouk, as well as Syrians. Just a few hundred people remain there now.

Daesh declared a “caliphate” in 2014 that included territory across Syria’s north, center and east – but it now controls no more than five percent of the country.

Besides Yarmouk, it holds some desert territory in Syria’s center and east.

More than 350,000 people have been killed since Syria’s conflict erupted in 2011.

Source: Zaman Alwsl