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On 13 October, the rebels renewed their assault on the Wadi Daif military base, east of Maarrat al-Nu'man. Air force jets bombed the attacking rebels leaving 22 fighters wounded.<ref name="peaceenvoy"/><ref>[http://www.bayoubuzz.com/top-stories/item/124014-u-n-envoy-in-turkey-amid-tensions U.N. envoy in Turkey amid tensions]</ref> The town was being heavily shelled and hit with air-strikes as the military made attempts to retake Maarrat al-Nu'man.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t2#/video/world/2012/10/13/int-syrian-civil-war.cnn Syrian govt. tries to retake key city]</ref> One of the primary targets of the strikes was an underground emergency field hospital. Later during the day, the rebels managed to halt a 40-vehicle military column advancing on the town, which included 10 tanks. The vehicles were stopped 10 kilometers south of Maarrat al-Nu'man.<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/syria-rebels-stop-army-advance-seized-town Syria rebels stop army advance on seized town]</ref>
On 13 October, the rebels renewed their assault on the Wadi Daif military base, east of Maarrat al-Nu'man. Air force jets bombed the attacking rebels leaving 22 fighters wounded.<ref name="peaceenvoy"/><ref>[http://www.bayoubuzz.com/top-stories/item/124014-u-n-envoy-in-turkey-amid-tensions U.N. envoy in Turkey amid tensions]</ref> The town was being heavily shelled and hit with air-strikes as the military made attempts to retake Maarrat al-Nu'man.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/video/?hpt=hp_t2#/video/world/2012/10/13/int-syrian-civil-war.cnn Syrian govt. tries to retake key city]</ref> One of the primary targets of the strikes was an underground emergency field hospital. Later during the day, the rebels managed to halt a 40-vehicle military column advancing on the town, which included 10 tanks. The vehicles were stopped 10 kilometers south of Maarrat al-Nu'man.<ref>[http://www.arabnews.com/syria-rebels-stop-army-advance-seized-town Syria rebels stop army advance on seized town]</ref>


On 14 October, government troops made attempts to block a new rebel attack on the military base with fighting raging in the nearby villages of Maarshurin and Hish.<ref>[http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=446293 Syrian army launches counter-strike in North]</ref>
On 14 October, government troops made attempts to block a new rebel attack on the military base with fighting raging in the nearby villages of Maarshurin and Hish.<ref>[http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArticleDetails.aspx?ID=446293 Syrian army launches counter-strike in North]</ref> On 15 October, rebels pushed the military from their last two bases on the cities outskirts. Rebel commanders called it a "a major breakthrough".<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/10/2012101592642693233.html</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 18:05, 15 October 2012

Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man
Part of the Syrian civil war

Maarrat al-Nu'man and the strategic M5 highway, the main Army supply route from Hama and Damascus to Aleppo
Date8 October 2012 – ongoing
Location
Maarrat al-Nu'man, Syria
Result Ongoing
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army Syria Syrian Army
Units involved
Maarrat al-Nu'man Martyrs Brigade[1] Unknown
Casualties and losses
114 killed*[2][3][4][5] 190 killed,[2] 7 captured[6]
70 civilians killed[2][3]
  • Includes 50 defectors executed by the military.

The Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man is a battle between the Syrian Army and the rebel Free Syrian Army for control of the town of Maarrat al-Nu'man, during the Syrian civil war, which started on 8 October 2012.

Battle

On 8 October, the rebels launched an offensive to capture the town of Maarrat al-Nu'man, which holds a strategic position through which all government reinforcements from Damascus heading toward Aleppo, where a battle was ongoing, would need to come through. The city had already been captured once before by the rebels, on 10 June, but was recaptured by the military in August.[7] During the evening, the Air Force started conducting air-strikes against the town in an attempt to stop the rebel attack.[8]

The mosaic museum before the war

By the next day, rebels seized eight of the military checkpoints around Maarrat al-Nu'man,[2] leaving only one under government control at the entrance to the town.[9] The rebels set up a headquarters in the town's mosaic museum, which was previously occupied by government troops.[2] During the takeover, the rebels captured a government detention facility at the Arabic Cultural Center. As they entered the facility, a land mine explosion killed 16 rebel fighters.[10] At the Center, they reportedly found the corpses of 25 detainees, including 2 defecting soldiers, according to the opposition activist group SOHR.[11][12][13][14] Later, a rebel media official said the number of executed people found was 65,[2] with 50 of them being defecting soldiers according to an activist.[3] Overall, not counting fatalities among government forces, more than 60 people were killed in the fighting for the town. At least 40 of the dead were civilians, while the rest were rebels.[15]

On 10 October, rebels were in control of the western entrance to the city, while the military was in control of the eastern entrance, where government troops were reportedly massing for a counter-offensive.[16] Tanks from Mastumah, south of Idlib city, were being sent to Maarrat al-Nu'man. Army forces were deployed along the highway to secure a corridor for the tanks. Rebels were making attempts to stop their advance and reportedly damaged three tanks. Rebel fighters also intercepted troops on the outskirts of Khan Sheikhun, south of Maarrat al-Nu'man,[17] leading to clashes that left 14 rebels dead.[13] Later that day, the military conducted a counter-attack in an attempt to recapture the town. The rebels managed to repel the attack, but suffered heavy casualties, with one report stating 30 opposition fighters were killed.[3]

On 11 October, an AFP reporter said that the rebels were in control of five kilometers of highway running from the town.[2] On the same day, the FSA launched an attack on an army base, which was being used to shell Maarrat al-Nu'man, just east of the town near the highway. Rebels used at least one captured tank, RPGs and mortar bombs, as the town continued to be hit by airstrikes.[18]

On 12 October, 12 rebels were killed in a series of air-strikes south of the town.[4]

On 13 October, the rebels renewed their assault on the Wadi Daif military base, east of Maarrat al-Nu'man. Air force jets bombed the attacking rebels leaving 22 fighters wounded.[4][19] The town was being heavily shelled and hit with air-strikes as the military made attempts to retake Maarrat al-Nu'man.[20] One of the primary targets of the strikes was an underground emergency field hospital. Later during the day, the rebels managed to halt a 40-vehicle military column advancing on the town, which included 10 tanks. The vehicles were stopped 10 kilometers south of Maarrat al-Nu'man.[21]

On 14 October, government troops made attempts to block a new rebel attack on the military base with fighting raging in the nearby villages of Maarshurin and Hish.[22] On 15 October, rebels pushed the military from their last two bases on the cities outskirts. Rebel commanders called it a "a major breakthrough".[23]

References

  1. ^ "Blasts at Syria air force compound kill dozens: activists". The Daily Star. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Naeem, Asad (11 October 2012). "Syria rebels cut highway to northern battlefields". Business Recorder. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d "Rebels say halt Syrian army attempt to retake town". Terra Networks. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b c UN peace envoy in Turkey for Syria talks
  5. ^ 3068 Martyrs, may God's mercy be on them all
  6. ^ Latest war victim: Syrian museum of mosaics
  7. ^ Syria sends extra troops after rebels seize Idlib: NGO
  8. ^ About 60 people killed in Syrian airstrikes, say activists
  9. ^ Syrian rebels claim control of strategic town
  10. ^ Devastation testament to fierce fighting by rebels for control of town
  11. ^ Final death toll for Monday 8/10/2012
  12. ^ Final death toll for Tuesday 9/10/2012
  13. ^ a b Preliminary death toll for Wednesday 10/10/2012: More than 170 Syrians killed so far today
  14. ^ Preliminary death toll for Thursday 11/10/2012: More than 220 Syrians have been killed.
  15. ^ Syria pounds rebels trying to seize strategic city
  16. ^ Turkey Intercepts Syrian Plane
  17. ^ Syria rejects truce as rebels intercept reinforcements
  18. ^ "Rebels attack Syrian army base near strategic town". Chicago Tribune. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  19. ^ U.N. envoy in Turkey amid tensions
  20. ^ Syrian govt. tries to retake key city
  21. ^ Syria rebels stop army advance on seized town
  22. ^ Syrian army launches counter-strike in North
  23. ^ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/10/2012101592642693233.html
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