Siege of Deir ez-Zor (2014–2017)
Siege in the Syrian Civil War / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The siege of Deir ez-Zor was a large-scale siege imposed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) against several districts in the city of Deir ez-Zor held by the Syrian Army, in an attempt to capture the city and secure full control of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The ISIL siege of the city lasted for almost 3 years and 2 months, after which the Syrian Army launched a successful offensive that fully recaptured the city nine weeks later.
Siege of Deir ez-Zor | |||||||
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Part of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate campaign of the Syrian civil war | |||||||
![]() Syrian Republican Guard T-72 tank in Deir ez-Zor | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
![]() PMF-affiliated militias[4] ![]() |
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() (Republican Guard) ![]() (104th Airborne Brigade) ![]() (17th Division; since July 2016) ![]() (17th Division; until July 2016 & returned Jan. 2017) ![]() (Head of Deir ez-Zor NDF) ![]() (Military Intelligence militia commander) ![]() (Russian forces commander) ![]() (Syrian 5th Corps commander)[11] |
![]() (ISIL war minister) (Emir of Deir ez-Zor) ![]() (ISIL Governor of Deir ez-Zor) ![]() (ISIL leader of Deir ez-Zor) ![]() (ISIL Deir ez-Zor emir) ![]() (ISIL Deir ez-Zor commander)[18][self-published source?] ![]() (ISIL top commander) ![]() (ISIL field commander) | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Military Intelligence Directorate
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Strength | |||||||
4,000–5,000 (besieged, pro-gov. claim)[26] 10,000–15,000 (Relief force, Syrian Army claim)[27] | 5,000–15,000 (Syrian Army claim)[28] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
460–970+ killed[29][30][31][32][33][34] | 1,430–1,970+ killed[35] | ||||||
329–500+ civilians killed, ~400 kidnapped[36][37][38][39] |
In April 2014, ISIL launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian rebel forces in Deir ez-Zor province. This resulted in the total defeat of rebel groups in the area, and ISIL gained control of almost all of Deir ez-Zor Governorate in July 2014. Syrian Government forces remained besieged in the pocket of territory they continued to control.[40] On 10 September 2017, the siege was fully broken by Government forces.[2] After another two months of fighting, the Syrian Army fully recaptured the ISIL-held parts of Deir ez-Zor city and its environs, by 17 November 2017.[41][42]