LATEST: Video — Insurgents Dismantle Explosives After Islamic State Pushed Out of South Damascus

Further reports on Monday reinforced the news that insurgents have advanced in northeast Damascus, moving from positions in Jobar towards Abbasiyeen Square.

The insurgents have attacked since the end of last week in a long-prepared operation. Regime checkpoints have been captured, with the opposition claiming significant casualties among Syrian forces. Civilians have been evacuated from the area, bus services have been diverted, and the Syrian military has reinforced a large complex of the Mukhabarat, Syria’s security service. At one point, Syrian authorities reportedly sought a local ceasefire.

See Syria Developing: Insurgent Forces Attack In Damascus

The extent of the insurgent advance is unclear, in part because of an opposition blackout on news “as it happens”, but this video was taken at the Arfeh checkpoint, between Jobar and the Abbasiyeen Stadium.

At this point, there is no indication that insurgents will attempt a capture of Abbasiyeen Square. Instead, the offensive — “steady advances, step by step, building by building and not more than 8 at a time” — is seeking to weaken regime forces, draw in Syrian troops who have been fighting elsewhere in the country, and unsettle the narrative that the Assad regime has settled the situation in the capital.

Meanwhile, Syrian forces are counter-attacking with artillery fire on insurgent positions:

Sources say the artillery bombardment and airstrikes accompanied a ground assault with tanks — insurgents repelled the attack and destroyed at least one armored vehicle.

Footage from Tuesday of regime shelling of Jobar:

Claimed footage, posted on Monday, of regime attacks:

State news agency SANA’s report on the developments is restricted to “in Damascus Countryside, an army unit destroyed a tunnel dug by terrorists extending from north of al-Mualimiyeen Tower to the schools area in Jobar”.

Video: Insurgents Dismantle Explosives After Islamic State Pushed Out of South Damascus

Insurgents dismantle explosives in a headquarters evacuated by the Islamic State in south Damascus:

Insurgents also claim to have found stockpiles of food, even as resident suffer shortages:

The clearout of the Islamic State in the south of the capital follows insurgent advances pushing the jihadists out of East Ghouta, to the east of Damascus.

Islamic Front “Law and Order” Campaign in Northwest Syria

In recent days, the insurgent bloc Islamic Front has been declaring a law-and-order campaign to crack down on corruption, crime, and violence in Aleppo and Idlib Provinces.

In a 20-minute video, the Front features men testifying to their involvement in car bombings.

The Islamist faction Jabhat al-Nusra has also said it is policing illegal behavior, issuing a statement about clashes with criminals who claim they are insurgents.