First Battle of Rastan | |||||||
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Part of the Early insurgency phase of the Syrian Civil War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Maj. Abdul Rahman Sheikh Ali † [3] 1st Lt. Ahmad Mustafa al-Khalaf † [4] | Unknown | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Khalid ibn al-Walid Battalion | 1st Armoured Division | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,000 [5] | 900 soldiers 250 tanks and armored vehicles | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
130 killed* [6] 3,000 opposition supporters arrested [7] | 13 killed [8] 32 wounded [9] | ||||||
*The number of dead on the rebel side includes both opposition fighters and civilian protesters | |||||||
Location within Syria |
A battle for control of Rastan, a city of 60,000 residents in Homs Governorate, Syria, occurred from 27 September to 1 October 2011. In late September, there were reports of numerous Syrian Army defections in the area, following which the Free Syrian Army took control of Rastan. After a four-day battle, the city was retaken by the Syrian Army.
On 28 May 2011, after major protests, the Syrian Army launched an operation in Rastan and the neighboring town of Talbiseh, which resulted in the suppression of anti-government protests and numerous deaths. The Syrian Army met some armed opposition during the operation, [10] but had gained control of the city by 4 June.
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In late September, there were reports of many Syrian Army defections in Rastan, and the Free Syrian Army claimed to have destroyed 17 armoured vehicles during clashes in the city, [11] using RPGs and booby traps. [12] The assault was also, the opposition claimed, supported by Syrian Air Force jets. [1]
On 1 October, the Syrian Army took control of Rastan, killing 120 civilians and opposition soldiers according to opposition sources [13] and arresting 3,000 suspected opposition members. [7]
Insurgent activity continued in the area for months after the major clashes ended. On 24 November, the military conducted an operation in Rastan, during which they killed 16 gunmen and captured a large cache of weapons. [14]
On 1 February 2012, the FSA and opposition activists reported that the FSA had gained full control of Rastan after four days of intense clashes. [15] [16] Photos were posted on the internet showing FSA fighters in the streets of Rastan, standing guard. [17]
The siege of Rastan and Talbiseh was an operation by the Syrian Army during the Syrian revolution. On 28 May 2011, after protests and an armed revolt, the Syrian Army launched an operation in al-Rastan, a city of an estimated 50,000 residents located 20 kilometers north of Homs, and the neighboring town of Talbiseh, which resulted in the suppression of the protests and numerous deaths. The Syrian Army met some armed opposition during the siege.
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A second battle between the Syrian Army and the Free Syrian Army for control of the city of Rastan took place from 29 January to 5 February 2012. Located in Homs Governorate, Rastan is a city of 60,000 residents. The FSA captured Rastan after days of intense fighting, according to residents and the opposition.
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