The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is in full control of Damascus city and its countryside for the first time since the advent of the conflict, Al-Masdar News reports.

The so-called Islamic State (IS) has abandoned all of their positions in southern Damascus in exchange for transportation to the Badiya Al-Sham region of eastern Syria.

Meanwhile, their family members were transported to the Idlib Governorate after the Syrian military secured a deal with the rebels to move these people to the province.

The Syrian military now has to cleare all of the buildings that were used by the Islamic State during their three year long reign.