DAMASCUS, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army started shelling the positions of the Islamic State (IS) south of the capital Damascus on Thursday evening, after the failure of a deal to evacuate the terror-designated militants to the Syrian desert in eastern Syria.

The War Media, the media wing of the Syrian army, said the shelling started against the terror-labeled militants in Yarmouk Camp.

The sound of shelling and warplanes started being heard in Damascus on Thursday evening, with reports saying the army has started its offensive to clear several areas south of Damascus from IS.

The Syrian forces aim to dislodge IS from the Yarmouk Camp area as well as the adjacent Hajar Awad, Qadam, and Tadamun areas.

The IS entered those areas in 2015 and the military operation started after the army completely secured the Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus, with the last rebel batch left their last strongholds in the Douma district a week ago.

The IS group has lost major strongholds late last year, but they are still holding some pockets south of Damascus and in the remote eastern desert region of Syria.