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Northwestern Syria offensive (2024)

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Northwestern Syria offensive (2024)
Part of the Syrian civil war

Map of offensive in northwestern Syria
  Controlled by the Syrian Arab Republic
  Controlled by the Syrian opposition
  Controlled by both Syrian Arab Republic and Syrian Democratic Forces
Date27 November 2024 – present
(1 day)
Location
Aleppo Governorate and Idlib Governorates, Syria
Status Ongoing
Territorial
changes		 Syrian opposition forces capture 25 towns and villages and a military base[1][4]
Belligerents

 Syrian opposition

 Syria

 Russia[2][3]
Commanders and leaders
Syrian opposition Abu Mohammad al-Julani Syria Bashar al-Assad
Casualties and losses
80 killed[4]
Syrian opposition 19 killed[4][5]		 Syria 54 killed,[4] 13 captured[6][5]
Syria 5 tanks captured[5][7]
Russia at least 1 killed[8]
1 civilian killed[5]

On 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive against the pro-government Syrian Arab Army (SAA) forces in Aleppo and Idlib Governorates in Syria. The offensive was called Deterrence of Aggression by HTS and launched in retaliation for the increased SAA shelling of the Western Aleppo countryside.[9] The offensive is the first time opposition forces launched an attack since the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire.[10][11][12]

Background

Main article: Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024)

Since the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire agreement, large scale operations ceased between opposition and pro-government forces in Northwestern Syria. Starting in late 2022, HTS forces launched a series of infiltration and sniper attacks on government forces, leading up to the offensive.

In October 2024, a large mobilization by HTS and government forces was initiated in the Aleppo countryside, as HTS had reportedly escalated its preparations for a large-scale offensive against government forces within the city of Aleppo. On 26 November 2024, government forces artillery struck the opposition held town of Ariha, killing and injuring 16 people.[9]

Offensive

On 27 November 2024, HTS announced that it had launched an offensive dubbed Deterrence of Aggression towards pro-government forces in western Aleppo Governorate.[13] The Syrian opposition claimed that the offensive was a response to artillery shelling by the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.[11]

During the first 10 hours of the offensive, HTS captured 20 towns and villages from pro-government forces, including the towns of Urm al-Kubra, Anjara, Urm al-Sughra, Sheikh Aqil, Bala, Ajil, Awijil, al-Hawtah, Tal al-Dabaa, Hayr Darkal, Qubtan al-Jabal, al-Saloum, al-Qasimiyah, Kafr Bisin, Hawr, Aznaz and Basratoun. In addition, the 46th regiment base of government forces was besieged by the HTS and captured a few hours later.[2][1] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 37 Syrian government soldiers and allied militias and 60 fighters from the opposition forces were killed in the clashes.[11] A Russian special forces unit was ambushed by rebels, who later posted photos of a dead Russian soldier and captured equipment. The number of casualties remains unclear.[8] In response, Syrian and Russian forces launched aerial assaults on areas controlled by rebel groups.[14][15] Russian fighters also conducted airstrikes around Atarib, Darat Izza, and surrounding villages, while government forces shelled rebel controlled Idlib, Ariha, Sarmada and other areas in southern Idlib province.[16][17][18]

On 28 November, HTS launched an offensive on the eastern Idlib countryside, capturing the villages of Dadikh, Kafr Batikh and Sheikh Ali as well as a neighborhood in the city of Saraqib. This advance brought them within 2 kilometers of the M5 highway, a strategic route that had been secured by pro-government forces in 2020.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "In parallel with the continuation of the "Deterrence of Aggression" operation: More than 30 airstrikes and the killing of about 100 members of the regime forces, the Authority and the factions in the Aleppo countryside" (in Arabic). SOHR. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Weeks after the Syrian Observatory published the preparations... "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" attacks the Aleppo countryside in the "Response to Aggression" operation" (in Arabic). SOHR. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Coinciding with the Authority's attack on the regime forces' positions in the Aleppo countryside... a squadron of Russian aircraft flies in the "Putin-Erdogan" airspace" (in Arabic). SOHR. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "The number of military deaths rose to 153 as a result of the ongoing clashes between the "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" and the factions and regime forces in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib" (in Arabic). SOHR. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Dea*th toll update | More than 30 airstrikes and nearly 100 members kil*led during “Blocking Aggression” Operation in Aleppo
  6. ^ "The factions of the "Deterrence of Aggression" operation continue their advance in the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib, capture 8 members of the forces, and control one of the neighborhoods of the city of Saraqib" (in Arabic). SOHR. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  7. ^ Syrian opposition fighters advance rapidly, reach Aleppo outskirts
  8. ^ a b "Russian elite forces suffer losses in Syrian rebel attack". defence-blog.com. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  9. ^ a b "Most of them are children.. 16 citizens were killed and injured in regime forces' shelling of the city of Ariha" (in Arabic). SOHR. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Syrian rebels launch surprise offensive in northwest as regime retaliates with airstrikes". The New Arab. 27 November 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Edwards, Eyad Kourdi, Christian (2024-11-27). "Syrian rebels launch major attack on regime forces in Aleppo province". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Dea*th toll update | More than 30 airstrikes and nearly 100 members kil*led during "Blocking Aggression" Operation in Aleppo". SOHR. 27 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Syrian opposition launches "Deterrence of Aggression" operation in the north of the country" (in Arabic). Al Jazeera. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Syrian rebels launch major offensive". defence-blog.com. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  15. ^ "Syrian rebels launch surprise offensive in northwest as regime retaliates with airstrikes". The New Arab. 27 November 2024.
  16. ^ Staff, The Media Line (2024-11-27). "Opposition Forces Capture Key Villages Near Aleppo, Assad's Army Retaliates". The Media Line. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  17. ^ Al-Khalidi, Suleiman. "Syrian rebels launch attack against army in Aleppo province". Reuters.
  18. ^ "Syrian rebels launch attack against army in Aleppo province". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
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