2020 Kafr Takharim airstrike

Last updated
2020 Kafr Takharim airstrike
Part of the Syrian Civil War and the Russian military intervention in Syria
Location
Kafr Takharim, Idlib Governorate, Syria
TargetSyrian revolution flag.svg Faylaq al-Sham
Date26 October 2020
Executed by Flag of Russia.svg Russian Air Force
Casualties78–105 [1] [2] killed
100+ wounded

The 2020 Kafr Takharim airstrike occurred on 26 October 2020 when the Russian Air Force targeted a training camp run by Faylaq al-Sham, a major Islamist Syrian rebel group backed by Turkey, near the town of Kafr Takharim located around 10 kilometers from the Turkish border. [3] At the time of the attack, the camp contained more than 180 rebels affiliated with Faylaq al-Sham. [4] At least 78 rebel fighters were killed and over 100 more were wounded in the airstrike. [5] [6]

Contents

Attack

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the target site was a training camp that was bombed, while there were dozens of fighters who were being trained before they were transferred to Azerbaijan. Officially, the Russian Defense Ministry refused to comment on the incident. [7]

The attack inflicted the highest number of casualties since the Russian-Turkish ceasefire that ended the Northwestern Syria offensive in March 2020. Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman called it the fiercest attack against the Sham Legion since the Russian military intervention in September 2015. [7] [8]

Sources close to the Syrian government put the death toll of the strike at 200 dead and wounded within the ranks of Faylaq Al-Sham. [9] [10]

On 1 November 2020, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights updated the number of casualties to 79 dead and dozens wounded. [11]

According to Youssef Hammoud, a spokesman for the groups, leaders of the camp were among those killed in the air strike. Theory's clam that 4 chan may have been involved by giving the Russians the location of the camp after a video of the camp was posted on to YouTube. [12] [13]

Response

Syrian rebel factions launched a massive artillery attack on Syrian Arab Army positions on 27 October 2020, killing 15 soldiers; one rebel was killed in the return bombardment. [14] The following day, another Syrian soldier was killed as rebels continued shelling SAA positions in Idlib province. [15]

Analysis

According to international observers, the targeted Russian attack on the Sham Legion was a "message" to Turkey. Director of the U.S.-based Middle East Institute Charles Lister told Al Jazeera that as the militia group was Turkey’s closest proxy in Idlib province, this "wasn't a Russian attack on the Syrian opposition as much as it was a direct hit against – and message to – Turkey". He added that it was possible that wider geopolitics had pushed Russia to strike, referring to the deployment by Turkey of Syrian militants to Libya and to the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh war. [16] [17]

Reactions

On 27 October 2020, the U.S. special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey criticized the Russian attack and accused "the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian allies of threatening the stability of the surrounding region, by continuing their quest for a military victory". He also stated "the attack was a dangerous escalation by the Assad government and apparent violation of the March 5 Idlib cease-fire agreement" and urged Assad and its allies to end their "needless, brutal war against the Syrian people". [18]

The National Front for Liberation released a statement announcing the death of a "large number" of its fighters by Russian strikes and said it would not hesitate to retaliate. NLF spokesman Sayf Raad denounced the "Russian aircraft and regime forces continuously violating the Turkish-Russian deal in targeting military positions, villages and towns". [19]

On 28 October 2020, in a parliamentary speech in Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the attack on a site of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, saying that Russia’s attack indicated its unwillingness to achieve a lasting peace in the region. [20] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

Kafr Takharim is a town in northwestern Syria, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located in the north of Idlib. Nearby localities include Harem to the north, Salqin to the northwest, Abu Talha to the west and Armanaz to the south. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, Kafr Takharim had a population of 10,084 in the 2004 census. The town is also the administrative center of the Kafr Takharim nahiyah which consists of nine villages with a combined population of 14,772. Its inhabitants are predominantly Sunni Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sham Legion</span> Syrian separatist alliance

The Sham Legion is an alliance of Sunni Islamist rebel groups formed in March 2014, during the Syrian Civil War. The alliance was formed from 19 different groups, some of which were previously affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood of Syria and the Shields of the Revolution Council.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to July 2015. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from August to December 2015. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from May to August 2016. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

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

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

The Hama offensive , code-named Oh Servants of God, Be Steadfast, was a military offensive launched by rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) north of the city Hama, as part of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate</span> Turkish military operation in Syria

The Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate, code-named Idlib De-escalation Control Force activities by Turkey, is an operation by the Turkish Armed Forces which started in October 2017, following the earlier Operation Euphrates Shield. It is the third cross-border operation by the Turkish military, following Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Shah Euphrates.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to April 2018. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idlib demilitarization (2018–2019)</span> Multinational military agreement

The Idlib demilitarization was an agreement between Turkey and Russia to create a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Governorate, to be patrolled by military forces from Russia and Turkey. On 17 September 2018, the Russian president Vladimir Putin and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reached an agreement to create a buffer zone in Idlib.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from January to April 2019. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019)</span> Syrian government military operation against rebels

The 2019 northwestern Syria offensive, codenamed "Dawn of Idlib", was a military operation launched on 30 April 2019 by the Syrian Armed Forces and its allies against rebel groups in northwestern Syria during the Syrian civil war in a region known as "Greater Idlib", consisting of northwest Hama, southern Idlib and northeastern Latakia provinces. The government's main objectives were to open the M5 highway and to expel non-compliant militant groups, particularly the internationally proscribed al-Qaeda-linked group known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), from the 15–20 km demilitarized zone demarcated by Turkey and the Russian Federation at Sochi in 2018. The offensive was seen by both parties as crucial to the outcome of the war.

Insurgency in Idlib is an ongoing insurgency in the regions Idlib Governorate between multiple factions. The conflict is primarily between the supporters of Syrian Salvation Government and forces loyal to Syrian Arab Republic. Other factions participating in insurgency range from the Syrian opposition forces in the Syrian National Army supported by Turkey; to supporters of Al-Qaeda branch Hurras al-Din and members of the Islamic State group. The insurgency has been marked by assassinations and bombings, as well as armed confrontations with small arms and raids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020)</span> Military operation of the Syrian civil war

The 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive, codenamed "Dawn of Idlib 2," was a military operation launched by the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and other allied militias against Syrian opposition and allied fighters of the Syrian National Army, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Rouse the Believers Operations Room, the Turkistan Islamic Party, and other rebel and Salafi jihadist forces in Idlib and surrounding governorates during the Syrian civil war. The offensive began on 19 December 2019 and saw Russian-backed pro-Syrian government forces clash with Turkish-backed opposition groups along with leaving 980,000 civilians displaced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Spring Shield</span> Turkish military operation in Syria

Operation Spring Shield was a cross-border military operation carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias. The operation was launched on 27 February 2020 in direct response to the Balyun airstrikes, aiming to address the escalating situation in the region.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2020. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian civil war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Fatah al-Mubin</span>

Al-Fatah al-Mubin or Great Conquest is an operations room of Syrian rebel and jihadist factions participating in the Syrian civil war. The operations room was declared in June 2019, evolving from the "Damascus Conquest" operations room formed in May during the Syrian Army's Dawn of Idlib 1 campaign and consists of rebel groups operating in opposition-held areas of northwestern Syria concentrated in Idlib. The three groups comprising the coalition are Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkish-backed National Front for Liberation, and Jaysh al-Izza. In October 2020, HTS and two leading factions from the NLF began to finalize the creation of a Unified Military Council in Idlib.

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.

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.

Starting on 2 December 2022, a series of intensified clashes broke out of the frontlines of the 'Idlib de-escalation zone' located in the governorates of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Latakia. These confrontations initiated through inghimasi, infiltration and sniper attacks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied militant groups against positions held by the pro-government Syrian Arab Army (SAA) positions. These attacks were called We Will Not Reconcile by HTS.

References

  1. ↑ "Russian airstrikes reportedly kill Turkey-backed rebels in Syria". neweurope. 29 October 2020.
  2. ↑ "Syrian rebels bomb regime positions following Russian airstrike which killed scores of opposition fighters". The New Arab. 28 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Saad, Hwaida; Gall, Carlotta (2020-10-26). "Russian Airstrikes Kill Dozens of Turkish-Backed Rebels in Syria". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  4. ↑ ""De-escalation zone" | Opposition factions respond to repeated violations by regime forces, shelling positions in Saraqeb and Sahl Al-Ghab • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  5. ↑ "Deadly blow to the Faylaq al-Sham militants in Idlib by Russia". remmont. 27 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Idlib | Thousands of residents mourn death of group of al-Sham Corps fighters killed in Russian airstrikes • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  7. 1 2
  8. ↑ "مدير "المرصد السوري": القصف الروسي كان الأعنف بالنسبة للفصائل المقاتلة منذ بداية العمليات الروسية في العام". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (in Arabic). 26 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Russian attack causes massive losses within ranks of Turkish-backed forces". almasdarnews. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Before and after images of devastating Russian attack on Turkish-backed training camp". almasdarnews. 28 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Russian slaps to Erdogan… and the US preoccupation gave Putin the spoils". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 2 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Russia strikes kill at least 78 Turkey-backed rebels in Syria, monitor says". timesofisrael. 31 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "The Time 4Chan Called in an Airstrike". 17 August 2023.
  14. ↑ "Military escalations | 15 regime soldiers and loyalists killed in rebel attacks on positions in Idlib, Hama, Aleppo and Latakia". The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  15. ↑ "Ceasefire violations | Opposition factions shell regime positions in rural Aleppo, and kill regime soldier in rural Idlib". The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2020-10-28.
  16. ↑ "Russian airstrike threatens to unravel Idlib's relative stability". Middle East Institute.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  17. ↑ "Russian strike on Syria's Idlib fighters a 'message' to Turkey". aljazeera. 28 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "US slams attack on Syria's Idlib, states Assad regime, Russia threaten regional stability". dailysabah. 29 October 2020.
  19. ↑ "Russia strikes kill 78 rebels in Syria". The New Arab. 30 October 2020.
  20. ↑ "Erdogan slams devastating Russian attack on Syrian militant camp". almasdarnews. 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  21. ↑ "Erdogan warns of military action in Syria, decries Russian strike". aljazeera. 29 October 2020.
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