Abu al-Duhur

Abu al-Duhur
أبو الظهور
Abu al-Ẓuhur
Abu al-Thuhur
Town
Abu al-Duhur

Location in Syria

Coordinates: 35°44′26″N 37°2′48″E / 35.74056°N 37.04667°ECoordinates: 35°44′26″N 37°2′48″E / 35.74056°N 37.04667°E
Country  Syria
Governorate Idlib
District Idlib
Subdistrict Abu al-Thuhur
Population (2004)
 • Total 10,694

Abu al-Duhur (Arabic: أبو الظهور‎; Abu al-Ẓuhur, also spelled Abu al-Thuhur) is a town in northwestern Syria on the edge of the Syrian Desert, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located about 45 kilometers southeast of Aleppo. Nearby localities include Tell Sultan and Tell Kalbah to the northwest. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Abu al-Duhur had a population of 10,694 in the 2004 census. It is the center of a nahiyah ("subdistrict") containing 26 localities with a combined population of 38,869 in 2004.[1]

Abu al-Duhur is the site of military airfield.[2] During the ongoing Syrian civil war which started in 2011, rebels from the Free Syrian Army besieged the base in September 2012. Supplies for the troops are airdropped by helicopters that fly in from air bases in Hama. The rebels have also upped their attacks on the airport.[3] They claimed that as a result of their employment of anti-aircraft weaponry, they have rendered flights from the base inoperable.[4][5] In 2013, al-Khashir checkpoint (north east of the airport) was destroyed and burned by rebels.[6] However, the army kept control of the village.[7]

In early morning of 27 November 2014, heavily armed army units moved from Abu Duhur airport under cover of artillery and air force and began combing operations at the airport perimeter from the northern side until they reached the village of Haymat ad Dayir 6 km north of the airport. The village was stormed by surprise and in hours the troops took control of the village and combed and destroyed the nests of insurgents. Then the troops continued to progress to Mustarihah village 10 km north of the airport. The village was also stormed and violent clashes broke during which the Air Force intervened and destroyed a number of militants' trucks. And after combing Mustarihah village at the time of sunset troops returned to airport and the results were successful where they killed and wounded dozens of rebels and destroyed their vehicles and their hideouts and captured a number of them also were confiscated light weapons and ammunition in addition to the herd of sheep was in one of the dens of rebels in the vicinity of Haymat ad Dayir. On the other hand, there were some light and medium injuries among the troops. These events were reported by “Assad Idlib News Network” which is a source based in the governorate & specializes in military events in the governorate.[8] The events were also confirmed by alarabiya[9] and prominent international journalist and expert Elijah J. Magnier[10][11] He further explains that “Army will not spread in an exposed area when the airport represents a better shelter and defense line”.[12]

After the capture of the Wadi Deif and Hamadiyah bases, the rebels turned their attention to the Abu al-Duhur airbase. They gathered about 1,000 fighters around the airport that is defended by about 700 soldiers.[13] On January 15, 2015, the rebels launched an offensive on the village of Tal Salmo that was geared at opening a new front south of the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase. the rebels attacked 2 points controlled by the army’s 11th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces (NDF) at Tal Salmo. the assault on the 2 axes was foiled by the loyalist forces after almost 2 days of non-stop fighting with the militant groups.[14] The following day, the rebels pounded the village of Tal Salmo with a barrage of mortar shells in order to weaken the army fortifications. After that, the militants stormed the army defenses at Tal Salmo, attempting to breach the latter’s frontlines from the western perimeter of the village. The rebels were unsuccessful in their infiltration attempt, as the army fought off the assault, resulting in their complete control of the checkpoints adjacent to the village.[15] 10 days later, it was reported that the rebels were in control of Tal Salmo.[16] The village has strategic importance because it is close to the main gate of the airport and because it contains water wells that the troops in the airport consume via canalization.[17] A week later, violent clashes took place at the main gate of the airport.[18]

On 18 January 2015, an Antonov An-26 operated by the Syrian Air Force crashed while attempting to land at the besieged Abu al-Duhur military airport. There were 35 people on board,[19] 30 Syrian soldiers[20] and 5 Iranian military experts.[21] Syrian media and the pro-opposition SOHR, said that the crash was due to heavy fog or "technical issues".[19][22][20] However, Al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra Front claimed that they shot it down.[19][23][24] Syrian media provided a list with the names of the 30 Syrian soldiers who were killed.[20] Per SOHR, 13 Syrian officers were among the fatalities.[21]

On January 23, 2015, the rebels managed to control al-Hamidiyeh village on the East side of the Abu al-Duhur airbase. However they pulled out to the outskirt later.[25] On January 25, 2015, an Al Jazeera journalist from inside the village reported that the rebels were in control of al-Hamidiyeh.[16]

References

  1. ↑ General Census of Population and Housing 2004. Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Idlib Governorate. (Arabic)
  2. ↑ Heller, p. 310.
  3. ↑ Rania Abouzeid (Feb 7, 2013). "Ground War: Syria’s Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad". TIME. Retrieved Feb 7, 2013.
  4. ↑ Rebels attack Syrian military airport, say shot down jet. Reuters. 2012-09-05.
  5. ↑ Chivers, C.J. Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks. The New York Times. 2012-09-26.
  6. ↑ Archicivilians (August 2014). "Abu-ad Duhur". Archicivilians. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Elijah J. Magnier (January 27, 2015). "JAN Map video clearly showing the current situation in Abu_Dhuhur_airbase". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  8. ↑ "ملخص عملية مطار ابو الظهور اليوم". Assad Idlib News Network. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "تقدم عسكري للمعارضة بريف إدلب والمعارك محتدمة". alarabiya. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  10. ↑ Elijah J. Magnier (27 November 2014). "SAA control of Khaz'zanat helped forces inside Al-Zohour military airport 2advance into near-by Tal Selmo and Mustariha villages.". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  11. ↑ Elijah J. Magnier (28 November 2014). "SAA returned to air base.". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Elijah J. Magnier (28 November 2014). "SAA won't spread in an exposed area when the airport represents a better shelter and defence line". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "تحقيقات--مطار-أبو-الظهور-العسكري-..-والمعارك-التي-دارت-فيه". شبكة تفاعل التنموية. January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  14. ↑ LEITH FADEL (January 15, 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Launches an Offensive at Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ LEITH FADEL (January 16, 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Continues Their Push into Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "النصرة تسيطر على بلدات بمحيط مطار أبي الضهور بإدلب". Al Jazeera. 25 January 2015.
  17. ↑ "جبهة النصرة تحاصر مطار أبو الظهور في ريف إدلب". Al Jazeera. 28 January 2015.
  18. ↑ "ريف إدلب خسائر للنظام في هجوم للنصرة على مدخل مطار أبو الظهور". Orient News. 1 February 2015.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Syria conflict: Army 'plane crash' kills 35 soldiers". BBC News. 2015-01-18.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Leith Fadel. "Idlib: Cargo Jet Crashes Outside of Abu Dhuhour Airbase - 30 Dead". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 sohranas. "11 military leaders from militia of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards die over the last 24 hours". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Syrian military plane crash kills 35, al-Qaida claims credit". UPI. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  23. ↑ "Al Qaeda says downs Syrian cargo plane, army says fog causes crash". Reuters. 2015-01-18.
  24. ↑ "ASN 20150118". Aviation Safety Network. 2015-01-18.
  25. ↑ Elijah J. Magnier (January 23, 2015). "JAN control al-Hamidiyeh village". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved January 23, 2015.

Bibliography