2015 Hama offensive

Last updated
2015 Hama offensive
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Hama in Syria (+Golan hatched).svg
Map of Syria with Hama highlighted
Date28 November [1] – 15 December 2015
(2 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Result

Syrian Army victory

  • Syrian army recaptures Al-Buwaydah, Masasineh [2] and Tall Huwayr hill [3] [4]
Belligerents

Flag of Jund al-Aqsa.svg Jund al-Aqsa
Emblem of the Jaish al-Fatah.svg Army of Conquest

Syria-flag 1932-58 1961-63.svg Free Syrian Army

Flag of Syria.svg Syrian Arab Republic

Mourning flag.svg Quwat al-Ghadab [5]
Flag of Syria.svg Khaybar Brigade [6]
Air strikes:
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia

Casualties and losses
38+ killed [7] [2] 9+ killed [2]

The 2015 Hama offensive was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian Civil War in the northern parts of Hama Governorate.

The offensive

The Jund al-Aqsa rebel group initiated a large-scale offensive in the northern part of Hama province on 28 November 2015. The initial aim of the operation was to capture the Alawite village of Ma'an. Over the next two days, their assault at Ma’an, as well against the other surrounding villages, was repelled. [1] A few days later, on 2 December, the Army of Conquest Islamist rebel coalition launched a new assault towards Ma’an, but their attack was reportedly disrupted after they were ambushed at the Morek Hills by the 87th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division. [7]

On 3 December, fighting took place in the Al-Ghaab plains of Hama province, at al-Mansoura, al-Qahira and Tal Zajram, while Army bombardment was reported at Tal Wasit, al-Enkaw and al-Manara. [8] The military reportedly secured the southern entrance of the hilltop village of Tal Zajram. [9]

On 13 December, Jund al-Aqsa renewed their offensive, attacking Ma’sasineh, Al-Buwaydah and Markabat. [10] The following day, the rebels seized the villages of Al-Buwaydah and Ma’sasineh, as well as the Al-Zulaqiyat and Zalin checkpoints ("Jabal ash-Shir"). However, following the arrival of military reinforcements, the Army recaptured both villages and the Zalin checkpoint, with the rebel offensive stalling thereafter. [11] [2] [12] The fighting left 22 rebels, including six foreigners, and nine soldiers dead. [2]

By the morning of 15 December, the military recaptured all areas lost the previous day. [3] [13] In addition, government forces also captured Tell Huwayr hill, overlooking the town of Morek. [4] [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Hama offensive</span> Military operation launched by rebels in the Syrian Civil War

The 2014 Hama offensive, codenamed Ghazwat Badr al-Sham al-Kubra, was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian Civil War in the northern parts of Hama Governorate, in an attempt to reach the Hama Military Airport and the provincial capital of the province. It was also launched in an attempt to cut the supply line to Aleppo, especially after the rebels seized the village of Rahjan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2014)</span> Military operation

The Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin was a military engagement during the Syrian civil war in the Daraa Governorate, where Syrian government forces attempted to capture Al-Shaykh Maskin to secure the Daraa–Damascus highway. Two days later, rebel forces launched two joint offensives, code-named "Edkholo Alayhem al-Bab" and "Hadm al-Jedar", to take control of Al-Shaykh Maskin and the nearby town of Nawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015)</span> Battle of the Syrian civil war

The northwestern Syria offensive , dubbed by the rebels as the Battle of Victory, took place in the Idlib and Hama governorates during the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Ghab offensive (July–August 2015)</span>

The al-Ghab offensive was an offensive launched by rebels during the Syrian Civil War to capture areas surrounding Jisr al-Shughur, and to establish a foothold in the al-Ghab plain, in northwestern Syria's Idlib and Hama governorates.

The Rif Dimashq offensive , or the battle of "Allah al-Ghalib", was a battle launched by the rebels around Tall Kurdi, Adra and Harasta in Eastern Ghouta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015)</span> Operation that started on 16 October 2015

The Aleppo offensive was a Syrian Army large-scale strategic offensive south of Aleppo. The main objective of the operation was to secure the Azzan Mountains, while also creating a larger buffer zone around the only highway to the provincial capital controlled by the Syrian government. A related objective was to establish favourable conditions for a planned offensive to isolate rebel forces in Aleppo City and to relieve the long-standing siege of a pro-government enclave in Aleppo Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homs offensive (November–December 2015)</span> Part of the Syrian Civil War

The Homs offensive from November to December 2015 was launched by Syrian government forces during the Syrian Civil War in November 2015. The objective of the operation was to recapture territory lost to ISIL, in the eastern part of the Homs Governorate, during the fall of that year.

The Quneitra offensive was launched by Syrian rebel forces, during the Syrian Civil War, in order to capture government-held positions in Quneitra Governorate at: Tall Ahmar, UN hill, Madinat al-Baath and Khan Arnabah. The objective was to break the government siege of Western Ghouta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015–2016 Latakia offensive</span> Military operation

The 2015–2016 Latakia offensive was a campaign of the Syrian Civil War that was launched by government forces in October 2015 to recapture rebel-held territory in the Latakia Governorate bordering Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern Syria offensive (October–November 2015)</span> Russo-Iran-Hezbollah joint offensive in Syria

On the 7 October 2015, shortly after the start of the Russian air campaign in Syria, the Syrian government forces and its allies launched a ground offensive against anti-government positions in northwestern Syria, initially in northern Hama Governorate. The primary objective is to seal off the northern Hama border with Idlib and "build a buffer-zone around the city of Khan Sheikhoun". It has been described as the first major Syrian-Russian coordinated attack since the start of the Syrian Civil War. The offensive was extended in the subsequent days to the al-Ghab plains, between northwest Hama and southwest Idlib, as well as to the edge of the Latakia governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016)</span> Military operation conducted by the Syrian Arab Army against ISIL

The Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive was a military operation conducted by the Syrian Arab Army against ISIL, during the Syrian Civil War, with the aim of reaching the ISIL-held Al-Tabqa Military Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmyra offensive (March 2016)</span> Military operation started by the Syrian Arab Army

The Palmyra offensive was a military operation of the Syrian Arab Army, supported by Russian airstrikes, to recapture from the Islamic State the city of Tadmur, which was strategically important for both forces due to its position in central Syria. The city was fully recaptured on 27 March.

The 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign was a series of military operations that started on 1 April when the Islamist rebel coalition Army of Conquest, led by the al-Nusra Front, launched a surprise offensive south of Aleppo. The main objective of the operation was to recapture territory they had lost during the large-scale government offensive in late 2015.

The 2016 Latakia offensive, code-named Battle of Yarmouk, refers to a rebel operation launched in the northern Latakia Governorate in late June 2016. The aim of the offensive was to recapture the territory lost during the Army's offensive earlier in the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rif Dimashq offensive (June–October 2016)</span> Syrian Army offensive

The Rif Dimashq offensive is a Syrian Army offensive in the Rif Dimashq Governorate that was launched in late June 2016, as part of the Syrian Civil War. The offensive resulted in the military's capture of parts of the eastern section of the rebel-held eastern Ghouta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Hama offensive</span> 2016 offensive

The 2016 Hama offensive, codenamed as the Battle for the sake of God by the rebels, was a military offensive operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian Civil War in the northern parts of Hama Governorate as an attempt to relieve pressure on rebels fighting in Aleppo city.

The Quneitra offensive was launched by Syrian rebel forces, during the Syrian Civil War, in order to capture the government-held town of Hader, Quneitra Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idlib Governorate clashes (January–March 2017)</span> Military confrontations

The Idlib Governorate clashes , were military confrontations between Syrian rebel factions led by Ahrar al-Sham and their allies on one side and the al-Qaeda-aligned Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and their allies on the other. After 7 February, the clashes also included Jund al-Aqsa as a third belligerent, which had re-branded itself as Liwa al-Aqsa and was attacking the other combatants. The battles were fought in the Idlib Governorate and the western countryside of the Aleppo Governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hama offensive (March–April 2017)</span> Military offensive

The Hama offensive was a military offensive launched by Syrian rebel groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) north of the city of Hama, as part of the Syrian Civil War. The offensive began on 21 March 2017, and the rebels aimed to recapture areas recaptured by the Syrian Armed Forces in the 2016 Hama offensive, as well as pushing into Hama city. The offensive was coordinated with rebel forces in Damascus' eastern suburbs, who launched their own operation in March 2017. Though the rebels had some initial success, reaching the outskirts of Hama, these gains were stopped and eventually reversed by Syrian government counter-attacks, which by the end of April had recaptured all of the territory lost the previous month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Armored Division (Syria)</span> Military unit

11th Armored Division was an elite formation of the Syrian Army. In 2019, the 11th Armored Division participated in the Operation Dawn of Idlib. The division was established in 1982 and was part of the 3rd Army Corps.

References

  1. 1 2 Leith Fadel. "Jund Al-Aqsa Launches a Large-Scale Offensive in Northern Hama". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 jack (14 December 2015). "Advances for regime forces in Hama countryside". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  3. 1 2 Leith Fadel. "Syrian Armed Forces Recapture Several Points in Northern Hama as the Jund Al-Aqsa Offensive Ends in Disaster". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  4. 1 2 Syrian troops recaptured Tell Huwayr
  5. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (3 July 2016). "Quwat al-Ghadab: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia in Suqaylabiyah" . Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  6. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (3 January 2016). "The Syrian National Resistance: Liwa Khaybar" . Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  7. 1 2 Leith Fadel. "Jaysh Al-Fateh Ambushed En Route to Ma'an in Northern Hama: 16 Killed and 2 Tanks Lost". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  8. jack (3 December 2015). "Clashes in Hama countryside". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  9. Leith Fadel. "Syrian Army Advances Under Russian Air Cover in the Al-Ghaab Plains". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  10. Leith Fadel. "Jund Al-Aqsa Renews Massive Offensive in Northern Hama". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  11. Leith Fadel. "Massive Islamist Offensive in Northern Hama Stalls as the Syrian Army Counters". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  12. Edward (14 December 2015). "Renewed clashes in the vicinity of Talbiseh and the regime forces advance again in the northern countryside of Hama". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  13. Local Coordination Committees of Syrıa 14-12-2015
  14. "Syrian Army Seizes Strategic Hilltop Overlooking Morek in Northern Hama". Archived from the original on 2017-04-30. Retrieved 2015-12-16.