Second Battle of Idlib

Second Battle of Idlib
Part of the Syrian Civil War and the 2015 Idlib offensive
Image of a typical olive field in the valleys surrounding Idlib
Date 24–28 March 2015 (4 days) Location Idlib, Idlib Governorate, Syria Result al-Nusra Front-led rebel victory[1][2][3] Territorial changes Rebels capture Idlib city and besiege Kafarya and al-Fu'ah, while government forces retreat to al-Mastouma[4]
Belligerents
Army of Conquest[5] Al-Nusra Front Ahrar ash-Sham Sham Legion Jaysh al-Sunna Liwa al-Haqq Jund al-Aqsa Ajnad ash-Sham Farouq Brigades[6]	Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces National Defense Force Hezbollah[7]
Commanders and leaders
Abu Jamil al-Qutb †[6] (Ahrar ash-Sham deputy leader) Abu Kamal[8] (Ahrar ash-Sham Central Area Commander) Hassan al-Khalifa †[6] (Omar al-Farouq Brigade commander) Nathir Terman †[9] (al-Nusra field commander) Abu Abdullah Taoum †[10] (Ajnad ash-Sham leader)	Mohamed Khair al-Sayyed[11] (Governor of Idlib) Al Hajj Walaa †[7] (Hezbollah commander)
Units involved
Omar al-Farouq Brigade[6]	11th Armored Division[12] 155th Brigade[13]
Strength
3,000–6,000 fighters[14] al-Nusra Front: 3,000-5,500 fighters[15]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
132-200 fighters killed,[16] 36 infiltrators executed[17]	66[12][18]–86[19] soldiers killed, 5 soldiers and 6 tanks captured[12][20]
11 civilians killed,[6]

The Second Battle of Idlib ("Operation to Free Idlib") was a military operation in the Idlib Governorate, during the Syrian Civil War, conducted by rebels against Syrian government forces defending Idlib city.^[21]

The battle

On 24 March 2015, the newly established Fattah Army operation room ("The Army of Conquest") urged people in Idlib city to remain indoors. Later that day, two fighters from Jund al-Aqsa blew themselves up near Army checkpoints,^[22] on the eastern side of the city,^[12] followed by a three-pronged assault on Idlib.^[22] The rebels took control of the Sadkop Factory at the eastern outskirts of the Industrial District and advanced towards the Old Textile Factory before soldiers from the 11th Tank Division arrived to reinforce the NDF and push back rebel fighters to the east, securing the perimeter around the Idlib Public Cemetery. Meanwhile, at the northwestern entrance to Idlib, the rebels attacked a number of NDF checkpoints, reaching the northern side of the Youth Housing.^[12] Overall during the day, the rebels captured seven checkpoints, but the Army managed to recapture four of them,^[23][24] including reportedly re-securing the northern perimeter of the Youth Housing.^[12]

According to a rebel commander, the clashes resulted in the death of many fighters from both sides.^[21] The SOHR put the death toll at 20 government fighters^[23] and 19 rebels,^[25] including three suicide bombers. Two of the bombers were foreigners from Gulf states.^[23] According to a military source, 44 rebels and 16 soldiers were killed.^[12] Five soldiers were also captured.^[12][22]

During the attack, the al-Nusra Front used US-made BGM-71 TOW captured from Western-backed rebel groups.^[22]

In response to the rebel assault on Idlib,^[26] government forces reportedly launched a chlorine bomb attack on the rebel-held town of Binnish, leaving dozens of people hospitalized. The next day, the air force also struck the town of Saraqib, killing 11 civilians.^[27][28]

On 25 March, the rebels regained the four checkpoints they lost the previous day, while a fourth suicide car-bombing occurred near the city.^[29] Throughout the day, the fighting focused on the eastern entrance to the city.^[30] In the evening, according to government sources, more elements of the 11th Tank Division arrived in Idlib and launched a counter-attack in the Industrial District.^[31] In the day's fighting, Abu Jamil Yusuf Qutb, the deputy leader of Ahrar ash-Sham, was killed^[6] during an attack on an Army checkpoint near Idlib.^[32] The Hezbollah commander Al Hajj Walaa was also killed that day.^[7]

Rebel sources reported that 36 soldiers were executed in Idlib for passing information to the rebels for the offensive.^[17][33]

By the end of the second day of fighting, the rebels were in control of 17 checkpoints and military outposts, according to the SOHR.^[34] Military sources acknowledged the rebels were in control of the factories to the east of the city, with the Al-Sina’a (Industrial) Quarter being contested. However, the sources stated the Youth Housing and Al-Mahraab Quarters were declared safe zones after the rebels were driven back to the outskirts, following multiple artillery strikes by the 155th Brigade at the Hama Military Airport.^[13]

On 26 March, heavy fighting took place around the eastern entrance of Idlib,^[35] which lasted into the night, killing 26 rebels and 4 soldiers.^[36] According to opposition sources, rebels captured the Al-Sina’a (Industrial) Quarter and managed to besiege the towns of Kafrayah and al-Fu'ah, after capturing a number of checkpoints connecting these towns with Idlib.^[37] The military denied this and stated that the alleged rebel gains were fabricated, but acknowledged the rebels reached the city gates for the first time since the offensive started.^[38]

On 27 March, clashes in and around Idlib continued, leaving 14 rebels and 6 soldiers dead.^[39] One of the rebels killed was a Saudi commander (emir) in the al-Nusra Front.^[40] For the first time, the rebels managed to enter the city neighbourhoods, after they advanced from the northwestern and southeastern sides of Idlib. At this point, the city was almost completely encircled by rebel groups, leaving only two exit routes for government forces.^[41] The advance into the city came after the NDF retreated from the northern silos, and the opposition fighters captured most of the Hara North district and farms of Hara West.^[18]

On 28 March, after NDF reinforcements arrived, at 6 A.M., a government counterattack was launched,^[18] which forced the rebels to withdraw from inside of Idlib, and government troops recaptured areas on the city outskirts.^[42] However, later in the day, rebel forces made new advances into Idlib, and at that point, were in control of up to 24 checkpoints and some neighbourhoods in the city.^[43] It was also reported that the rebels captured the pro-government journalist Abdul Ghani Jaruch.^[44] Hours later, rebels seized control of most of the city after government forces pulled back, except for the government and security buildings.^[45] However, by the end of the day, rebels were in full control of the city,^[1] with scanning and mopping-up operations continuing.^[46]

During the Syrian government's retreat, 15 prisoners who were being held at the military intelligence headquarters were reportedly executed, while the rebels captured six tanks.^[20][47] Rebels managed to free 53 prisoners from the same complex.^[48] Syrian government troops regrouped south of the city, and were preparing for a possible attack by rebel forces.^[49]

Aftermath

An exodus of thousands of Idlib city civilians to nearby towns and villages, fearing government reprisals, was reported a day after rebels took the city.^[50][51] Ahrar ash-Sham issued a statement where it called for a unified Sharia-based management of the city of Idlib by the groups that captured it. Ahrar ash-Sham also threatened to shell the besieged twin Shiite towns al-Fouaa and Kefraya in response to "any cowardly shelling carried out against the civilians in Idlib".^[52] Ajnad al-Sham announced that its military leader, Abu Abdullah Taoum, was killed during clashes around al-Fouaa.^[10]

Meanwhile, the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition announced in a statement that it would shift its headquarters from Istanbul to Idlib city.^[53] The al-Nusra Front refuted this with Abdullah Mohammed al-Mheisnei, a top al-Nusra Islamic cleric, stating on his Twitter account “It is false that the [SNC] will enter Idlib!”.^[54] Fears had already surfaced that al-Nusra would possibly enforce a harsh religious rule over Idlib. At least one incident happened in the city, right after its capture, where foreign al-Nusra militants killed two Christians after hearing they worked in a liquor store. Consequently, Ahrar ash-Sham fighters rebuked the foreigners and set up checkpoints to protect Christians from them,^[14] with the group claiming to had secured 20 Christian families in Idlib.^[55] In response to al-Mheisnei, Ahmad Tu'mah, prime minister of the Syrian Interim Government, stated "it is not true that Jabhat al-Nusra refused our entry. It is actually a leader who rejected our entry and it is his right to express his opinion. We noticed during our work that not a single faction that currently represents the Army of Conquest attacked us. Moreover, Jabhat al-Nusra did not attack our relief convoys or our education or health work. The person talked about his point of view and did not issue any public statement in this regard. No one told us that it is forbidden for us to enter" and added that the Syrian interim government still intended to relocate to Idlib as long as they can be defended from attacks by the Assad government. Still, the question of whether an Islamic emirate would be established in Idlib remained.^[56] However, by the end of April, opposition forces established civil councils and public services. Still, an official message from al-Nusra leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani declared that the city would be governed according to Sharia, via Shura and a civil council, but showed no indication of declaring the Idlib the capital of an emirate. In response to this, a Syria expert from the Al-Hayat newspaper believed Sharia implementation would be limited following pressure on Al-Nusra from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.^[57]

On 30 March, a Syrian military source accused both Turkey and Jordan of supporting the rebels in their Idlib offensive.^[58] Military shelling and airstrikes struck the city, leaving 23 civilians dead. The bombardment reportedly included chemical weapons.^[51] Overall, between 28 and 30 March, 47 people, including 15 rebels, were killed in the bombardment of Idlib city.^[59] It was also reported that Colonel Suheil Al Hassan was sent to oversee a potential operation to recapture Idlib.^[51] In contrast, an NDF fighter stationed at Jisr al-Shughour spoke to al-Masdar news and stated government troops around the city were in a state of disarray.^[60]

On 1 April, the al-Nusra Front stated Idlib would be ruled according to Islamic Sharia law, but the group would not seek to monopolize power there.^[61] The next day, rebels launched an attack on the Mastouma military camp, where most of the retreated government forces were positioned, and advanced.^[62]

However, on 3 August, the government forces managed to recapture the strategic Hakami Hill in the southwest countryside of Jeser al- Shogour.^[63]

Analysis

Idlib became the second provincial capital to fall to rebel forces, after Ar-Raqqah which was captured by the rebels in March 2013, but were subsequently routed from it by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[1] Rebels also captured the town of Quneitra in August 2014, which is nominally the capital of the Quneitra province, but had been largely destroyed and abandoned since the Six-Day War with Israel in 1967.^[64]

According to some, it was a major political and strategic defeat for the Syrian government.^{[65][66][67][68]} According to others, Idlib had little or limited strategic value and was more of a morale boost to opposition forces.^[69][70] Stratfor described the battle as a "pivotal victory" for opposition forces,^[64] while The Long War Journal called it "the most significant blow" to the government in months.^[71] Aron Lund of Syria Comment commented the defeat of government defenses in Idlib had "punched a gaping hole in the government’s narrative of approaching victory and boosted the opposition politically as well as militarily, spelling trouble for Bashar al-Assad",^[69] while Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, speculated the fall of Idlib would be a big shock to the government and its supporters.^[72]

Now that the city was captured, rebels would potentially focus on other objectives, such as the Abu Duhour air base, Ariha, Hama,^[69] Nubl, Zahra, military supply routes to Aleppo, and potentially striking the government heartland of Latakia.^[65] The twin Shia towns of Fouaa and Kefray, now besieged, would face destruction and perhaps a sectarian massacre if they did not agree to a peace settlement with rebel forces, according to a post from Syria Comment, run by Joshua Landis.^[69] This was countered by Lina Khatib of the Carnegie Endowment, who stated in a recent report on the al-Nusra Front in northern Syria that “The vast majority of those who support al-Nusra are not driven by ideology but by anti-Assad sentiment”.^[73] However, others were of the opinion that a potential rebel advance on other fronts as a result of this battle would not happen if government forces launched a counterattack to retake the city. In addition, it was viewed that the fall of Idlib would complicate Turkish efforts to win support for the enforcement of a no-fly zone over northern Syria.^[70]

Taking into account the role of al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's Syria/Lebanon branch, the possibility of Idlib being the effective capital of al-Nusra-controlled territories was raised.^[49] An Ahrar al-Sham member, referring to this possibility, stated “I think al-Nusra is too smart to try that".^[73] Abu Mohammad al-Julani stated that al-Nusra Front does not "want to monopolise rule over Idlib city", calling for power sharing and adding that authority "does not come from scaring the people, but in protecting them, defeating their oppressor and defending the weak".^[74]

See also

• First Battle of Idlib

References

Syrian Civil War Part of the Arab Winter   Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 al-Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Battle of Raqqa Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) Northwestern Syria offensive 2015 Aleppo offensive 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Latakia offensive (2015–present) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Jul Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin Deir ez-Zor massacre Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Northern Aleppo offensive (2016) Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike   Parties involved Syria Syrian Government Syrian Ba'ath Party Army & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Arab Army Syrian Arab Air Force Syrian Arab Navy National Defense Force Jaysh al-Sha'bi Lijan militias Ba'ath Brigades al-Abbas Brigade PFLP-GC Syrian Resistance Other groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Basij Revolutionary Guards Russia's involvement military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Opposition (SRCC) NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Paramilitaries Free Syrian Army Syrian Turkmen Brigades Islamic Front Army of Mujahedeen Ajnad al-Sham Fastaqim Kama Umirt Smaller groups Support for the opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari involvement Saudi Arabia Turkey Rojava (Kurds) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council (Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union) SDF forces People's Protection Units (Syriac Military Council) Jabhat al-Akrad Asayish Sutoro Salafi groups Jaish al-Fatah Al-Nusra Front Sham Legion Ahrar ash-Sham Other Salafists Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance Jabhat Ansar al-Din ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military of ISIL ISIL-allied groups Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade Jaysh al-Jihad   People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa   Issues Peace process Related topics Issues Casualties Chemical weapons Cities and towns Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International reactions International demonstrations and protests Massacres Refugees (European migrant crisis) Sectarianism and minorities Spillover into Lebanon Syrian reactions Peace process Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN Supervision Mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II Conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Related topics 2014 Syrian detainee report Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian media coverage 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Coordinates: 35°38′37″N 36°41′59″E / 35.6436°N 36.6997°E / 35.6436; 36.6997