Syria's state news agency says insurgents fired three mortar shells on the center of Damascus, killing one person and wounding 10.

SANA says Wednesday's attack struck the Damascus Tower area and Maysat Square in the capital.

The shells were apparently fired by Islamic State fighters in the southern part of the city, where the extremists have been battling government forces for more than two weeks.

Syrian troops are advancing in the southern neighborhood of Hajar al-Aswad and the nearby Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.