The Syrian army on Thursday penetrated into an area south of Damascus still under the control of the Islamic State (ISIS).
The area has been subjected to heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling for the past week, reported state-run news agency SANA.
The area, Hajar al Aswad, is near what is left of the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk, also in the hands of jihadists.
SANA reported that dozens of IS militants had been killed and that government forces had retaken control of several buildings and tunnels used by the jihadists.