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AFP
Damascus
Syria's regime on Wednesday moved to tighten its grip on the capital as it retook a new region outside Damascus from rebels and pounded southern districts to oust militants.
In the town of Douma retaken more than a week ago, global chemical weapons experts visited a second site after an alleged toxic gas attack there on April 7.
Seven years into the civil war, President Bashar al-Assad's regime has ramped up efforts to secure the capital with backing from ally Russia.
The regime took control of Eastern Qalamun northeast of the capital on Wednesday, state media said, after the last rebels left on buses under an evacuation deal.
At the same time, regime air strikes and rocket fire pounded southern areas of the capital held by the Islamic State militant group after regime raids there killed six civilians overnight.
The retaking of Eastern Qalamun follows the latest in a string of deals between opposition fighters and the regime for rebels to withdraw from areas near the capital.
"The operation to bring terrorists with their families out of the areas of Eastern Qalamun has ended and the region is free of terrorism," state television said, using its usual term for rebels.
Government security forces entered the region's town of Al-Ruhayba, some 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus, after the last rebels departed, it said.
Earlier this month, Assad's forces announced their reconquest of the key rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta east of the capital, after a blistering offensive and evacuation deals that saw thousands of people transferred to northern Syria.
Rebels withdrew from its main town of Douma last, after medics and rescuers said more than 40 people were killed on April 7 in an alleged chlorine and sarin attack in the town.
Damascus has rejected the accusations as"fabrications", but invited the global chemical weapons watchdog to visit the town.
In the south of the capital, regime air strikes late Tuesday killed six civilians in the Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, a Britain-based monitor said.
