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Despite the recent advances by the Syrian Army against ISIS in southern Damascus, the military situation in the area remains complicated. The Syrian Arab Army, the Republican Guard and their allies use the advantage in the firepower (mostly artillery pieces and warplanes) to destroy the ISIS fortifications in the Yarmouk refugee camp area. Nonetheless, the camp is still a populated urban area, which complicates the operation. ISIS members also prevent civilians from leaving the militant-held pocket in order to use them as human shields.

Currently, government forces are contributing their main efforts to clear the urban area located close to the Yarmouk refugee camp. For example, fierce clashes have been ongoing in the al-Kadam area and in the southeastern part of the ISIS-held pocket.

It also should be noted that not all “moderate militants” particiapte in the government-proposed ceasefire that is designed to allow the army to focus on defeating ISIS. Some units of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) have attaked the Syrian Army and thus become a target of artillery and air strikes. The pro-opposition media used this to accuse the Syrian government of being hostile to the “moderate opposition”.

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