Battle of al-Haffah
| Battle of Al-Heffa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Syrian Uprising | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 10 fighters killed | 22 soldiers killed | ||||||
| 8 civilians killed | |||||||
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The Battle of Al-Heffa is a battle between the Syrian Army and the rebel Free Syrian Army in Latakia province, primarily in the area of the town of Al-Heffa.
The clashes started on 5 June 2012, in Al-Heffa, where a large concentration of FSA rebels attacked and captured the town's police stations. Soon after, the government military forces surrounded the city and started an attack. The opposition claimed at least five government tanks and armoured personnel carriers were destroyed in the fighting.[1] Clashes also broke out in the nearby villages of Bakas, Shirqaq, Babna, Al-Jankil, and Al-Dafil.[2]
The fighting continued into the next day with government forces shelling the village of Shirqaq and continuing to assault Al-Heffa, where tanks and helicopters joined the fray. The helicopters strafed suspected rebel positions. On the first day of the battle 33 people were killed: 22 soldiers, nine rebels and two civilians.[3] On the second day seven people were killed due to the shelling, including one rebel fighter.[4]
By the 7th June, rebels already retreated from al-Heffa to al-Gheba area under heavy helicopter attacks, but not before they freed several prisoners, abducted several police officers and bulldozed the local police station and secret police offices.[5]