Timeline of the Syrian civil war (January–April 2017)

Main article: Timeline of the Syrian civil war

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to April 2017. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

January 2017

2 January

• Syrian opposition halted peace negotiations in Astana, Kazakhstan, citing multiple government ceasefire violations. ^[1]

3 January

• Syrian Army forces seize the Air Defense Battalion Base, near Hazrama, from Jaysh al-Islam militants in the Eastern Ghouta region of rural Damascus, during a counter-attack to the Islamist offensive. ^[2]

7 January

Over 60 are killed and 50 are injured in the January 2017 Azaz bombing.

9 January

• Syrian media and U.S.-based journalists report that a special operation was carried out by U.S. forces in Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The operation took place between Kabr village and Jazra town, and some ISIL fighters were captured. ^{[3] [4]}

19 January

• US airstrikes struck the former Syrian Army Sheikh Suleiman military base in western Aleppo now used by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, killing more than 76 al-Qaeda fighters, including Abu Hasan al-Taftanaz, a senior leader. ^[5] More than 150 AQ members were killed by US airstrikes in the first three weeks of January. ^[6]

21 January

• According to government officials, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham rebels were beginning to negotiate their surrender at two eastern Damascus suburbs. ^[7]

29 January

See also: Wadi Barada offensive (2016–17)

The Syrian Army took full control of Wadi Barada. Maintenance workers were sent by the government to fix the Al-Fijeh Springs thus restoring the water supply to 5 million people who reside in Greater Damascus. ^{[8] [9]}

February 2017

23 February

• Israel cancels a plan to accept 100 Syrian child refugees due to opposition within its government. ^{[10] [11]}

24 February

• The Turkish Free Syrian Army forces, as a part of Operation Euphrates Shield, took full control of the city of al-Bab. ^[12] SAA and SDF forces seize other towns from ISIS control in the Aleppo countryside. ^{[13] [14] [15]}

March 2017

1 March

• Establishment of the Arima buffer zone along part of the border between the SDF-aligned Manbij Military Council and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) forces within the Turkish occupied zone. ^{[16] [17]}

2 March

See also: Palmyra offensive (2017)

• The Syrian Army with Russian support recaptures Palmyra from ISIS forces. ISIL seized the city from government forces in early December 2016 during a sudden offensive. ^{[18] [19]}

9 March

• U.S. Marine units began to deploy at Northern Syria District of Raqqa Governorate in as part of operations to help SDF forces take control of Raqqa from ISIL. ^[20]

17 March

• In a border incident, the Syrian Arab Army launched anti-aircraft interceptor missiles, which targeted Israeli jets on the Israeli-controlled side of the Golan Heights prompting Israeli anti-missile response, as Syrian Army accused Israel of allegedly striking targets on Syrian territories near Palmyra. ^[21] Syrian Army claimed it intercepted 2 Israeli jets, while shooting down one and causing damage to the other, while Israel denied. Remains of the anti-aircraft missiles fell in North Jordan. ^[22]

21 March

Tahrir al-Sham launched an offensive on Hama Governorate with the aim of reaching Hama city. ^[23] other Rebel offensives are countered by the SAA forces at Jobar (Damascus). ^[24]

22 March

See also: Battle of Tabqa Dam (2017)

Hundreds of SDF soldiers are airlifted by United States across the Euphrates to begin their advance to capture Tabqa Dam and cut off ISIS reinforcements from Raqqa. ^[25]

A Russian sapper in Palmyra, 28 March 2017

29 March

• The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar reach a deal to allow civilians and combatants to leave the besieged towns of Al-Fou’aa-Kafrayain, Madaya and Al-Zabadan in Idlib and Damascus governorates. ^[26]
• Syrian Forces capture Deir Hafer in Eastern Aleppo according to an Army source. ^[27]
• Turkey announces the end of its military operations in Syria, concluding Operation Euphrates Shield. ^[28]

April 2017

4 April

• The town of Khan Shaykhun came under a heavy air attack, allegedly involving chemical weapons, resulting in up to 100 deaths. ^{[29] [30]}

7 April

• Facilities and aircraft at the Syrian government's Shayrat Airbase are hit by 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Porter and USS Ross in the Eastern Mediterranean. ^{[31] [32]} The U.S. claimed the strike was in response to intelligence that the 4 April Khan Shaykhun attack was conducted by the Syrian military. It was the first unilateral military action by the United States that directly targeted the Syrian government.

12 April

See also: Eastern Homs offensive (2017)

The Syrian Army expands the buffer zone around Palmyra ^[33] by capturing more than 230 square miles of territory around the city ^[34]

19 April

• Pro-government media announce that west Damascus district of Zabadani is declared free of "militants" by the regime after the departure of 1,000 rebels and their families, and that Syrian army forces entered the town for the first time since the beginning of the Civil War. ^{[35] [36]}

References

1. "Syrian war: Peace talks under threat amid rebel warning". BBC. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
2. Fadel, Leith (3 January 2017). "Syrian Army advances deep inside rebel stronghold near Damascus: map". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
3. Fadel, Leith (9 January 2017). "US Coalition conducts special landing operation in Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
4. "U.S. troops carry out ground raid against ISIS in Syria". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
5. "In the largest death toll by assassinations against Fateh al-Sham Front… coalition's warplanes kill 76 members and commanders at least and injure tens of others in bombardment of Regiment 111 west of Aleppo". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). 22 January 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
6. "U.S. Airstrike Kills More Than 100 al-Qaida Fighters in Syria". US Department of Defense . 20 January 2017.
7. Fadel, Leith (21 February 2017). "Rebels on the verge of surrendering two important suburbs in east Damascus". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
8. Paul Antonopoulos (29 January 2017). "Syrian Army to take full control of Wadi Barada with expulsion of militants". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
9. "Syrian army captures Wadi Barada". Al-Jazeera. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
10. David Rosenberg, "Israel cancels plan to take in 100 Syrian refugees", Arutz Sheva. 23 feb 2017. Accessed 5 may 2017
11. "Israel to accept Syrian refugees for first time", ARA News. 26 jan 2017. Accessed 5 may 2017
12. Loveluck, Louisa; Sly, Liz (2017-02-23). "Turkey-backed rebels seize Islamic State's al-Bab stronghold in Syria". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-02-26.
13. "The Syria Democratic Forces are trying to besiege al-Arima and factions of "Euphrates Shield" advance in the vicinity of al-Bab with clashes on its frontiers". SOHR. 13 November 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
14. Tomson, Chris (16 November 2016). "US-backed Kurds seize 9 villages from ISIS while Turkish-backed rebels attack both". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
15. "More advancement by the regime forces put the "Islamic State" organization at al-Bab between the jaws of pliers of the regime and Turks". SOHR. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
16. "Atlantic Council analysis: How Russia beat Turkey in Syria". Tornos News . 29 March 2017.
17. "Russian Troops Deploy Southwest of Manbij Following Syrian-Kurdish Negotiations". Yahoo News. 13 March 2017.
18. "Syrian Observatory says Syrian army, allies push into Palmyra". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
19. Tomson, Chris (1 March 2017). "ISIS in big trouble as the Syrian Army enters Palmyra city". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
20. "US deploys heavily armed marines to Syria". Al-Jazeera. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
21. Israel jets strike inside Syria; military site near Palmyra reportedly targeted. CNN News. 17 March 2017
22. Weizman, Steve. "Netanyahu: Syria raids targeted 'advanced' Hezbollah arms". Agence France-Presse via Yahoo News . Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2017-03-17.
23. Fadel, Leith (23 March 2017). "Al-Qaeda linked rebels threaten Hama and Syria's largest Christian city". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
24. Antonopoulos, Paul (24 March 2017). "PHOTOS: Syrian Army continues smashing militants in Jobar with Russian air support". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
25. "Hundreds of troops in air-drop to cut off Raqqa". Irish Independent. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
26. Fadel, Leith (29 March 2017). "Deal reached between Qatar, Iran to evacuate 4 besieged Syrian towns". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
27. Angus McDowall (28 March 2017). "Syrian army captures Islamic State village near Aleppo". Reuters. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
28. Fadel, Leith (30 March 2017). "Turkey concludes Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
29. "Assad regime responsible for 'awful' Syria 'chemical' attack: EU's Mogherini". Al Arabiya English. April 4, 2017.
30. "'I couldn't save anyone. They're all dead now:' man loses 22 family members in Syria chemical attack". CBC. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
31. "US launches missile strike against Syria". The Star Online. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
32. Griffin, Jennifer (6 April 2017). "US launches missiles into Syria in response to chemical weapons attack". Fox News . Retrieved 8 April 2017.
33. Fadel, Leith (17 March 2017). "Syrian Army expands buffer-zone around Palmyra". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
34. Fadel, Leith (12 April 2017). "Syrian Army liberates more than 230 square miles of territory around Palmyra". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
35. Fadel, Leith (19 April 2017). "Strategic west Damascus town of Al-Zabadani free of militants". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
36. Fadel, Leith (19 April 2017). "Syrian Army fully controls Zabadani Mountains for first time since 2011". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.