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IS fights to capture district south of Syrian capital

Xinhua, August 31, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Islamic State (IS) militants are attacking a district controlled by a rival rebel group south of the capital Damascus, in the hope of expanding areas under its control in south of the heavily fortified capital, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported Monday.

Fifteen IS militants were at least killed when the terror-labeled group attacked the positions of the rival rebels' Ajnad al-Sham in the Damascus' southern district of Qadam, said the report.

It added that the IS is trying to expand its control map from the Hajar al-Aswad area south of the Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian refugees to Qadam.

The IS attack is triggered in part by an incident with the Ajnad group, which reportedly executed an IS fighter.

However, analysts believe that the main goal behind the attack against Qadam is the expansion of the group in other areas south of Damascus.

Qadam is militarily important for the IS due to its proximity to the western suburb of Daraya, which overlooks the international road between Damascus and the southern province of Daraa. Endit