Battle of Qamishli (2021)

Last updated
Battle of Qamishli (2021)
Part of the Rojava conflict and the Syrian civil war
Battle of Qamishli (2021).svg
   AANES control
   Syrian Government control
  Areas captured by Asayish during the battle
Date20 April 2021 – 26 April 2021
(6 days)
Location
Qamishli, al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria
Result Asayish victory
Territorial
changes
  • Asayish forces take complete control of the al-Tayy and Halkou neighborhoods [1]
  • End of NDF presence in Qamishli [2]
Belligerents
De facto SA-NES Flag.svg  Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Flag of Syria.svg  Syrian Arab Republic
Units involved

Asayish

Flag of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.svg Syrian Armed Forces

Casualties and losses
2 killed, 6 wounded [3] InfoboxNDF.png 6 killed, 7 wounded [3]
Flag of the Syrian Arab Army.svg 1 killed, 1 wounded [4]
2–3 civilians killed, 9 wounded [3] [5]

The Battle of Qamishli (2021) took place between security forces of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) and forces loyal to the Syrian Arab Republic in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli. The clashes began on 20 April 2021, after Asayish targeted a vehicle carrying pro-Syrian government NDF militia fighters. The clashes were conducted with medium and light weapons such as AK-47s as well as RPGs.

Contents

The Asayish captured Tayy and Halako neighborhoods during the battle, and captured most NDF checkpoints. Following this, a deal between the AANES and the SAA was agreed upon, allowing for the NDF to completely leave Qamishli and for regular Syrian Army soldiers to fulfill the role of the NDF. The battle led to the Asayish controlling almost all of Qamishli city.

Battle

On the night of 20 April, according to ISWNews, a vehicle carrying NDF fighters was assaulted at an Asayish checkpoint in Qamishli. [6] In contrast, the Rojava Information Center reported that the NDF opened fire on the checkpoint, at al-Wahda roundabout in southern Qamishli, after being stopped. [7] During the confrontation, the NDF fighters shot and killed an Asayish commander. [8]

As clashes escalated, reinforcements and heavy vehicles from Asayish forces took control of two checkpoints in the government-controlled al-Tayy neighborhood. Russian soldiers unsuccessfully attempted to mediate between the two sides. That morning clashes continued [9] and Asayish forces continued to advance while civilians evacuated the neighborhood. [10] Asayish forces reportedly captured an NDF headquarters and several more positions before fighting ended that night. [11]

A Russian-mediated ceasefire finally came into effect that night, with both sides agreeing to halt fighting, while the Asayish remained in control of positions captured during the fighting. [11] 1 Asayish and 5 NDF fighters were reportedly killed. [12]

On 22 April, a pro-Asayish source claimed that NDF snipers fired at a group of young people near the al-Wahda roundabout, killing a child and injuring two other people. [13] Further NDF breaches of the ceasefire lead to a resumption of the battle between the two sides. [14] Asayish forces made further gains in al-Tayy. [15] However, the NDF counterattacked and took parts of Halkou and Al-Zohoor neighborhoods, including an Asayish headquarters. [15]

That evening, Russian forces gathered notables from Qamishli in an attempt to end the fighting. However, a tribal figure close to the SDF was assassinated during the night reportedly by the NDF, [15] leading to another breakdown of the ceasefire.

In the early hours of 23 April, Asayish forces advanced in the Halkou neighborhood towards the National Hospital, [16] [17] recapturing two areas [17] near the cemetery. Concurrently, fighting continued in al-Tayy [18] where the Asayish seized a security building [17] and advanced some 100 meters, but most of the neighborhood remained under NDF control. However, later in the day, the Asayish fully captured the al-Tayy and Halkou neighborhoods. [1]

Under Russian mediation, the Asayish and NDF reached an armistice deal in effect until 12:00 the next day. [19] However, fighting briefly broke out after NDF units violated the ceasefire, targeting Asayish positions at the Halkou front line with RPGs. [20] Jaysh al-Thurwar, a Free Syrian Army coalition that is closely allied to the YPG, arrived in the city to reinforce Asayish. [21] Meanwhile, the government security unit that was stationed in the al-Tayy neighborhood returned to its station, while a Russian military delegation toured Halkou and al-Tayy along with the Asayish and SDF. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Hasakah</span> City in al-Hasakah, Syria

Al-Hasakah is the capital city of the Al-Hasakah Governorate, in the northeastern corner of Syria. With a 2023 estimated population of 422,445 Al-Hasakah is predominantly populated by Arabs with large numbers of Kurds, Assyrians and a smaller number of Armenians and Chechens. Al-Hasakah is 80 kilometres south of the city of Qamishli. The Khabur River, a tributary of the Euphrates River, flows west–east through the city. The Jaghjagh River flows into the Khabur from the north at Al-Hasakah. A portion of the city is a Syrian government-controlled enclave, comprising the city center and various government buildings, with the rest of the city controlled by the AANES.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kurdish National Council</span> Political party in Syria

The Kurdish National Council is a Syrian Kurdish political party. While the KNC had initially more international support than the ruling Democratic Union Party (PYD) during the early years of the Syrian civil war and a strong supporter basis among some Syrian Kurdish refugees, the overwhelming popular support the PYD enjoys has eroded support for the KNC in Syrian Kurdistan, losing almost all popular support.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defence Forces</span> Reserve force of Syrias military

The National Defence Forces is a pro-Syrian government militia, that was formed on 1 November 2012 and organized by the Syrian government during the Syrian Civil War as a part-time volunteer reserve component of the Syrian Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asayish (North and East Syria)</span> Police force in North-East Syria

The Internal Security Forces, also known as the Asayish in the Jazira, Euphrates, and Afrin Regions, is the internal security and police force in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Formed in the early stages of the Syrian Civil War, it had initially been established to police areas controlled by the Kurdish Supreme Committee. In October 2013, the Asayish claimed to have 4,000 members; by 2017, the number had reportedly risen to over 15,000.

The Battle of Morek took place during the Syrian Civil War in the Hama Governorate between the rebels and the Syrian Government. The clashes were concentrated around and in the eastern side of the town of Morek, as the Syrian Army tried to regain the town after it was lost to the rebels on 1 February 2014. The city was retaken by the rebels shortly after the collapse of the Northwestern Syria offensive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern al-Hasakah offensive</span> Military operation

The Eastern al-Hasakah offensive was launched in the Al-Hasakah Governorate during the Syrian Civil War, by the Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units, Assyrian Christian militias, and allied Arab forces against the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, with the intent of retaking the areas of the Jazira Canton that had been captured by ISIL. Subsequently, the Syrian Armed Forces also launched an assault against the jihadists, without coordinating with the YPG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Idlib (2015)</span> Military operation in Syria

The Battle of Idlib was a military operation in the Idlib Governorate, during the Syrian Civil War, conducted by rebels against Syrian government forces defending Idlib city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of al-Hasakah (2015)</span> Battle between ISIL and Syrian Armed Forces

The 2015 Battle of al-Hasakah started as an offensive launched in the Al-Hasakah Governorate during the Syrian Civil War, in which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attempted to capture the city of Al-Hasakah, which was divided into two areas held separately by the Syrian Armed Forces and the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). On 17 July, YPG-led forces captured all of the roads and villages surrounding Al-Hasakah, fully besieging the ISIL militants remaining inside of the city. On 28 July, YPG forces and the Syrian Army expelled ISIL from most of Al-Hasakah, with two ISIL pockets persisting near the Al-Zuhour District and the southern entrance. On 1 August, the city was fully cleared of ISIL fighters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AANES–Syria relations</span> Bilateral relations

AANES–Syria relations concern the military and political relations between the Ba'athist Syrian Arab Republic and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES), a de facto autonomous multi-ethnic region in northern and eastern Syria. The Syrian government does not officially recognise the autonomy of the AANES, and advocates a centralist approach to the governance of Syria. The NES seeks the federalisation of Syria. For most of the Syrian civil war, there has been a non-aggression pact between the military of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces, with occasional confrontations and some cooperation against Islamist groups, in particular against the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. While the two sides co-operated militarily under Russian supervision since 2019, with Syrian and Russian troops stationed along the Turkish border to prevent further advances, political negotiations have ended in failure. The Syrian government has no authority or institutions in North and East Syria outside of its two security boxes in Qamishli/Qamislo and Al-Hasakah/Heseke. The Autonomous Administration does not allow the Syrian Government to hold elections in areas under its control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Qamishli (2016)</span> 2016 violent conflict in the city of Qamishli, Syria

The 2016 Battle of Qamishli was a violent urban battle between the Asayish police of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and the pro-Syrian government National Defence Forces in the city of Qamishli, Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of al-Hasakah (2016)</span>

The 2016 Battle of al-Hasakah was a battle between the paramilitary police of the Asayish and the People's Protection Units (YPG), against the pro-government National Defence Forces and the Syrian Arab Army, backed by the Syrian Arab Air Force, in the city of al-Hasakah, Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syrian Democratic Forces military councils</span> Military councils for local security and defense

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has many military councils for local security and defense, each being accountable to the civil council of the area they operate in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (2012–2014)</span> Syrian military campaign

The al-Hasakah Governorate campaign was a multi-sided military conflict between Syrian government forces, Kurdish forces, armed Syrian opposition groups, and Salafist jihadist forces, including al-Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Nusra Front in the al-Hasakah Governorate as part of the Syrian Civil War. The clashes began with the People's Protection Units (YPG)'s entrance into the civil war in July 2012 and spread across the governorate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Syria insurgency</span> Armed insurgency

The Eastern Syria insurgency is an armed insurgency being waged by remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and both pro and anti-Syrian government Arab nationalist insurgents, against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), its military, and their allies in the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) coalition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria</span> Turkish military offensive in northern Syria

The 2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria, code-named Operation Peace Spring by Turkey, was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and the Syrian National Army (SNA) against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and later Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in northern Syria.

The siege of Qamishli and Al-Hasakah was a siege laid upon Baathist Syrian government-controlled areas of the towns of Qamishli and Al-Hasakah by the Asayish forces of the AANES. The siege was allegedly enacted in response to the restrictions of exclusively SDF-controlled areas of the Shahba region and the restriction of movement and supplies to the YPG-controlled neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo by the Syrian government.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2021. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Daraa offensive</span> Military operation

The 2021 Daraa offensive was an offensive between rebel fighters and Syrian government forces in the Daraa Governorate, as part of the Daraa insurgency. The offensive saw heavy clashes throughout the governorate, particularly in the Daraa al-Balad neighborhood, which was besieged by government troops.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2022. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found in Casualties of the Syrian civil war.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2024. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found in Casualties of the Syrian civil war.

References

  1. 1 2 "After expelling NDF members | Asayish Forces capture the entire neighbourhoods of Tayy and Halkou in al-Qamishli city in four days". SOHR. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "As residents of Tay neighbourhood start to return to their homes | New meeting at al-Qamishli airport to complete terms of the agreement". SOHR. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 "Al-Qamishly dramatic conflict | Over 30 people killed and wounded since the beginning of fierce clashes between Asayish Forces and NDF". SOHR. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  4. ↑ بعد خسارته لحيين وإخراجه من المربع الأمني.. انتهاء وجود الدفاع الوطني في مدينة القامشلي بشكل كامل
  5. ↑ At least two children killed in Qamishli clashes: medical source
  6. ↑ "Tensions in Qamishli; Russian mediation to resolve the dispute between the YPG and the NDF". IWN. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  7. ↑ @rojavaic (April 20, 2021). "An Asayish soldier was killed at al-Wahda roundabout in southern Qamishlo when a detachment of SAR-affiliated Difa al-Watani opened fire on his checkpoint" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ↑ "Syrian Kurds, pro-regime NDF militia clash in Qamishlo". www.kurdistan24.net. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  9. ↑ "ANHA monitors latest developments within Al Tayy neighborhood - ANHA | HAWARNEWS | English". hawarnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  10. ↑ "Syrian government's NDF creates sectarian strife among communities: tribal notable". North press agency. 2021-04-21. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  11. 1 2 "Ending clashes in Syria's Qamishli under Russian auspices". North press agency. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  12. ↑ "Russians Intervene to End Deadly Clash Between Kurdish Asayish and Syrian National Defense Forces". The Syrian Observer. 2021-04-22. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  13. ↑ "فقدان طفل لحياته وإصابة مدنيين برصاص مسلحي الدفاع الوطني في القامشلي". North press agency | وكالة نورث برس (in Arabic). 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  14. ↑ "تزامنًا مع تجدد المواجهات في القامشلي.. "الأسايش" تسيطر على مواقع وتطرد عناصر "الدفاع الوطني"". المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (in Arabic). 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
  15. 1 2 3 admin (2021-04-23). "What is behind the Qamishli clashes: an attempt to disrupt the elections?". Saudi 24 News. Archived from the original on 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  16. ↑ "بالفيديو والصور: أسايش الإدارة الذاتية تمشط حيي "حلكو والطي" بمدينة قامشلو وتسيطر على مراكز مصادر النيران". خبر24 ـ xeber24 (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  17. 1 2 3 Al-Qamishli | Asayish Forces capture the entire neighbourhood of Halkou and advance into Tayy neighbourhoods, amid fierce battles with NDF
  18. ↑ "Clashes continue in Al Tayy neighborhood; Security Forces respond to attacks - ANHA | HAWARNEWS | English". www.hawarnews.com. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  19. ↑ "هدنة في القامشلي بين الآسايش والقوّات السوريّة حتى صباح السبت". الحل نت (in Arabic). 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  20. ↑ "قوات "الدفاع الوطني" تخرق الهدنة المؤقتة وتستهدف بقذائف "الآربيجي" نقاط لـ "الأسايش" في القامشلي". المرصد السوري لحقوق الإنسان (in Arabic). 2021-04-23. Retrieved 2021-04-23.
  21. ↑ وحدات المهام الخاصة في جيش الثوار تتحرك باتجاه مدينة الحسكة لردع ميليشيات الدفاع الوطني في القامشلي , retrieved 2021-09-22
  22. ↑ Led by “commander of Russian forces in east of the Euphrates” | Russian military delegation roams with SDF and Asayish the security square, Hilko and al-Tay neighbourhoods in al-Qamishli

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.