Syrian government forces pounded ISIL-held districts near southern Damascus. Warplanes, helicopters, and artillery were used in Sunday's bid to enforce an evacuation deal. Alaa Ebrahim is in the Syrian capital with more.

ALAA EBRAHIM DAMASCUS Calm prevailed over Damascus as the Syrian Army halted its military offensive south of the capital on Sunday afternoon local time. In the past 48 hours, the Syrian army has pounded rebel positions in three districts south of the capital. Yarmouk, Hajar Al-Aswad and Kaddam are the last strongholds for insurgents in Damascus. Earlier this week, the state TV reported that the army won't stop its operation until militants comply with the terms of a deal struck to evacuate. It is expected that rebel fighters will start leaving the southern districts of the capital soon. The three neighborhoods are controlled by ISIL and Al-Qaeda affiliated fighters, as well as other smaller rebel factions.

It remains unclear, however, where the ISIL fighters will go since the group has little area left under its control across Syria.

It's expected this evacuation will be the last in a series of rebel evacuations out of their former strongholds. On Saturday alone 35 buses carried the last batch of rebel fighters and their families out of Ruhaiba, Jayroud, and al-Nasriya towns - heading north. The rebels have been steadily losing ground around the capital over the past two months.

Meanwhile, to the investigation taking place in and around Douma Sources in the Syrian ministry of foreign affairs tell CGTN that the OPCW inquiry into the alleged use of chemical weapons there is continuing. Inspectors from the international watchdog group were finally able to start their work in earnest on Saturday, collecting samples from the scene of the attack that took place on April 7th. We're told the inspectors have now interviewed some of those injured and doctors who responded to the scene.

Alaa Ebrahim, CGTN, Damascus.