Northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015)
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The northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015), dubbed by the rebels as the Battle of Victory,[55][56][57] took place in the Idlib and Hama governorates during the Syrian Civil War.
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Northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015) | |||||||
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Part of the Syrian Civil War | |||||||
Situation in Idlib Governorate as of 14 June 2015. Syrian Army control
Syrian Opposition control | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Hezbollah[11] | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Abu al-Miqdad[15] (al-Nusra commander of Idlib) Abu Ahmad †[16] (al-Nusra military leader) Col. Jemiel Radoon (Falcons of al-Ghab commander)[17] Abu al-Hassan[18] (Ahrar ash-Sham senior commander) Abu Humam[19] (Ariha region military leader) Muslim Abu Walid al Shishani[20] (Junud al-Sham leader) Abu Rida Al-Turkestani †[21][22][23][24] (Katibat Turkistani leader) |
Maj. Gen. Wahib Haidar[25] (commander of Idlib province) Gen. Jamal Younis[26] (commander of Hama province) Maj. Gen. Mehi al-Din Mansour †[27] (Special Forces commander) Col. Suheil Al Hassan[28] (Special Forces commander) Col. Mahamoud Subha[29] (Hospital commander) Mohamed Khair al-Sayyed[30] (Governor of Idlib) Dr. Ghassan Khalaf[31] (Governor of Hama) Ali Shalli[32] (NDF leader of N/W Hama) | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Ansar al-Sham[5] 1st Coastal Division[33] 13th Division[5] 101st Division[33] Falcons of Mount Zawiya Brigade Knights of Justice Brigade[5] Falcons of al-Ghab[17] |
87th Brigade[34] | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
9,000–12,000 fighters[33][37] |
5,000 (Ariha area)[17] 1,000 (Al-Ghaab Plain)[38] 120–150 (National Hospital)[39] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
221+ killed (SOHR claim)[40] 700–850 killed (Syrian Army claim)[41][42][43][44] |
325+ killed[*] and 300 captured or missing[**] (SOHR claim)[45][46][47] 100+ killed (Syrian Army claim)[41][42] 500 killed (rebel claim)[48] | ||||||
27 civilians killed[49][50][51] 23 prisoners & 3 friendly officers executed by the SAA and IRGC[49][52] | |||||||
* 20+ executed (opposition claim)[53] ** 200 soldiers and civilians in total were taken captive[54] |
The campaign consisted of a three-pronged attack, with the two main assaults spearheaded by Ahrar ash-Sham, al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra and other Islamist factions under the banner of the Army of Conquest, and the remaining attack force including collaboration with Free Syrian Army brigades.[33][58] The commander of the FSA 13th Division stated that coordinating with other groups such as al-Nusra Front did not mean they were aligned with them.[2] Within days, the rebels captured the city of Jisr al-Shughur and later on an Army base.[55] The success of the campaign was attributed to better coordination between the Syrian opposition's backers.[59][60] Still, the operation resulted in a high attrition rate for both sides.[55]