Palmyra offensive (2024)

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2024 Palmyra offensive
Part of the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives during the Syrian civil war
Northwestern Syria offensive (2024).jpg

  • Map of Palmyra
  •   Controlled by the Syrian Arab Republic
  •   Controlled by the Syrian Free Army
Date6 – 7 December 2024 (1 day)
Location
Eastern Homs Governorate, Syria
Result Syrian Opposition victory
Territorial
changes
  • SFA captures Palmyra
  • Significant advances by opposition forces [1]
Belligerents
Syrian revolution flag.svg Syrian Free Army
Suqour al-Sham [2]
Supported by:
Flag of the United States.svg  United States [3] [ better source needed ]		 Flag of Syria.svg Syrian Arab Republic   White flag icon.svg
InfoboxHez.PNG  Hezbollah [2]
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg Salem Turki al-Antri
Flag of the Syrian revolution.svg Abdulrazzaq Abu Khatib		 Unknown

On 6 December 2024, the United States-backed Syrian Free Army, with support from Suqour al-Sham, launched an offensive from the Al-Tanf "deconfliction zone" on the ancient city of Palmyra in the eastern area of the Homs Governorate. The United States reportedly gave logistical support to the opposition groups. The offensive came following setbacks by the government of Bashar al-Assad on other fronts, especially after the northwestern offensive by Tahrir al-Sham.

Contents

The Syrian Free Army (SFA) took control of Palmyra on 7 December after clashing with regime forces before going in the direction of Damascus.

Background

The SFA was told by the US Special Forces based at Al-Tanf to prepare for a coming offensive. The SFA's ranks were bolstered in October 2024 by various units that had expanded the group from 800 to around 3,000 fighters, including a unit that had been trained in Jordan by British forces to hunt down members of ISIS. [2]

The Syrian Arab Army withdrew from the nearby Tiyas Air Base. [4]

Offensive

The offensive was led by Abdulrazzaq Abu Khatib of Suqour al-Sham, whose group, in addition to Hezbollah, took the most casualties of the battle. [2]

Al-Antri faced his former "tank unit" during the battle and told his men to fire warning shots. [5]

Aftermath

The groups captured Damascus the following day. [6]

As of mid-December, ISIS fighters were still on the outskirts of the city. Abu Khatib anticipated an offensive to start in January to flush them out. [2]

The SFA has established checkpoints between Palmyra and Al-Tanf, though the group is dealing with a large increase in the amount of area it controls. [7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "'Syrian Free Army' take control of Palmyra as regime forces fall back". The New Arab . 7 December 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Adrian Blomfield (18 December 2024). "US 'prepared Syrian rebel group to help topple Bashar al-Assad'". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  3. ↑ "US-backed Syrian Free Army advances in Homs, with reports of clashes with regime forces in Palmyra". Anadolu Agency . 6 December 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  4. ↑ Emanuel Fabian (7 December 2024). "Syrian government forces pull out from airbase near Palmyra — report". The Times of Israel . Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  5. ↑ Jane Arraf (31 December 2024). "Syria's U.S.-trained opposition fighters wait to learn of their role in a new Syria". NPR . Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Free Syrian Army: US withdrawal will be devastating". Enab Baladi . 24 January 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  7. ↑ Lizzie Porter (22 January 2025). "Withdrawal of US support in Syria would be 'nightmare' in fight against ISIS, says commander of allies". The National . Retrieved 4 February 2025.
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