Syria monitors: IS militants seize Damascus neighborhood

BEIRUT – A Syrian war monitoring group says Islamic State militants have captured a largely vacant neighborhood in Damascus following intense fighting with pro-government forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says militants seized Qadam late on Monday, a week after Syrian rebels had surrendered the neighborhood to the government

The Observatory says 36 pro-government fighters were killed in clashes, and dozens more wounded or captured. It says the Syrian government has sent reinforcements into the area.

Earlier, IS claimed to have captured Qadam in a statement circulating on Twitter.

There was no immediate comment from the government.

The fighting in Qadam, which is south of Damascus, came as Syrian forces are focused on recapturing the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburbs of the country's capital.