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Daraa offensive (October 2014)

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Daraa offensive
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Date3–6 October 2014
(3 days)
Location
Daraa Governorate, Syria
Result

Rebel victory

  • Army counter-attack on Deir al-Adas repelled[3]
Territorial
changes
  • Rebels capture al-Harrah town,[4] two villages,[5][6] three checkpoints,[5][6] Tell al-Harrah[7] and its radar base[8][1]
    • Belligerents

    Syria Free Syrian Army
    Islamic Front

    Alwiya al-Furqan[1]
    Al-Nusra Front

    Syria Syrian Arab Republic

    Supported by:

    Commanders and leaders
    Captain Abu Aws[1] Brig. Gen. Mahmud Abo Arraj
    (Brigade 121 commander)[9]
    Brig. Gen. Nazir Fuddah [8]
    Units involved

    SyriaAmoud Houran Brigade[10]
    SyriaTawhid Kata’ib Horan[10]
    Syria Ababil Houran Brigade[11]

    Hazzm Movement[1]

    7th Division[12]

    • 121st Brigade[9]
    9th Division
    90th Brigade
    15th Brigade
    Strength
    Unknown Unknown
    Casualties and losses
    63+ killed[13][14][15] 53+ killed[3][13]
    26+ civilians killed[4][15]

    The October Daraa offensive, code-named "wa al-Fajr wa Layali Asher"[16] ("By the Dawn and ten nights"), was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian civil war in Daraa Governorate, in an attempt to take control of Al-Harra and Al-Sanamayn.[17] This operation came after the successful rebel offensive in Quneitra province, which resulted in the rebels seizing the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan and the capture of a number of towns, villages and hills in Quneitra and Daraa provinces.

    Failed army attack and rebel offensive

    On 3 October, 23 soldiers were reportedly killed after a failed attempt to regain control over Deir al Adas.[3] The next day, rebels announced the start of a military operation called "wa al-Fajr wa Layali Asher", which aimed to capture al-Harra town and its 1,075 meters high strategic hill and to besiege Army forces in Al-Sanamayn and its surrounding barracks.[16] That day, between 18 and 60 rebels were killed.[14][18]

    On 5 October, at least 30 soldiers and 29 rebels were killed at Tell Al-Harrah and at its radar base.[13] The rebels captured the hill,[7] Azmerin village and the Oum El-Aaoussaj barrier in al-Harrah town. According to opposition sources, two army tanks were destroyed and one fighter jet was downed,[6] while rebels also managed to capture the Tell al-Ahmar and the security facilitity in the south of al-Harrah town and the al-jadeera checkpoint east of it.[19] The base on the hill contained Center C, a spy facility run by a Russian special unit.[2]

    The next day, rebels captured the village of Zimrin (east of Al-Harrah town), the two strategic hills surrounding it (Western Tell Zimrin and Northern Tell Zimrin),[20] and two checkpoints nearby.[5] That day, 16 rebels (including two commanders) and six members of the same family were killed.[15]

    Aftermath

    On 10 October, the Syrian Army started bombing al-Harrah town from the air and with ground-to-ground missiles, killing 20 civilians.[4]

    On 15 October, the Syrian brigadier-general “Mahmud Abo Arraj”, commander of the Brigade 121 affiliated to the Seventh Division, fled his home in Damascus to the Syrian-Jordanian border after hearing he will be on trial and executed on charge of high treason due to "handing over al-Harrah Hill". He is likely killed in Rif Dimashq, but his body is still missing.[9]

    On 17 October, rebels announced the start of a new battle called “Ahlo al-Azem", which aimed in the capture of the following Army checkpoints: Umm al-Mayazen al Tebeh, Al-Ma’esra checkpoint and Al-Kazeyyat checkpoint. These checkpoints are located along the Damascus-Jordan highway and are considered the biggest of their kind in the eastern area.[21] On 20 October, rebels captured the al-Jeser, al-Falahin gas station and al-Ma'sara checkpoints near Umm al-Mayazan after three days of fighting. Umm al-Mayazan village was captured by the rebels the next day after heavy fighting with pro-government troops, who withdrew from the village and reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels.[22] That same day, at least 8 civilians were killed after the Syrian Arab Air Force bombed the Nasib border town.[23]

    On 23 October, rebels captured the Umm al-Mayathen checkpoint near Nasib border crossing.[24]

    References

    1. ^ a b c d "اشتباكات في جوبر والنظام يستولي على الدخانية"الجيش الحر" يحرّر مدينة الحارة الاستراتيجية في درعا". Almustaqbal Newspaper. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    2. ^ a b "Syrian Rebels Seize Russian Spy Station Near Israeli Border". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    3. ^ a b c "23 soldiers from the regime forces died in Daraa". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    4. ^ a b c "20 civilians including 5 children, killed in al-Harra in Dar'a". Facebook.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    5. ^ a b c "Al-nusra front and rebel battalions capture barriers in Daraa countryside". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    6. ^ a b c "Opposition fighters seize areas in Daraa, southern Syria". KUNA. October 5, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
    7. ^ a b "19 regular soldiers killed during clashes in the strategic hill of al-Harra". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    8. ^ a b Oryx. "Captured Russian spy facility reveals the extent of Russian aid to the Assad regime". Spioenkop.blogspot.nl. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    9. ^ a b c SOHRadmin1. "The brigadier- general "Mahmud Abo Arraj" has escaped from the regime army". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 29 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    10. ^ a b "The Moderate Rebels: A Complete and Growing List of Vetted Groups". الثورة الديمقراطية، الطراز السوري Democratic Revolution, Syrian Style. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
    11. ^ "Elijah J Magnier: 6-10-2014". Twitter.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    12. ^ "Syria forces ranged for major counteroffensive to dislodge rebels from Quneitra. High tension on Golan". Debka.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    13. ^ a b c "Syria regime bombing kills 21, including 8 children: monitor". Yahoo News. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    14. ^ a b "Clashes in Daraa left 18 deaths on al Nusra and rebel battalions side". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    15. ^ a b c "22 martyrs in Daraa, including 16 rebel fighters". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    16. ^ a b "Islamic battalions announce a new battle in Dar'a countryside". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    17. ^ "Syria rebels take strategic hill near capital". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    18. ^ "Syrian Army Repulses Rebel Attack on Tal Harra". almasdarnews. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
    19. ^ "Rebels Conquer Southern Gate to Western Ghouta". Syrianobserver.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    20. ^ "الجيش الحر يسيطر على بلدة زمرين والتلال المحيطة بها في درعا ضمن معركة "لبيك اللهم لبيك"". Smart News. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
    21. ^ "Announcment of a new battle in Daraa, and death of 10 IS militants in Deir Ezzor". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    22. ^ "Syrian Army Captures Al-Samdaniyya in Quneitra; Rebels Capture 'Umm Mayaazan in Dara'a". Al-Masdar News. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
    23. ^ "تقدم للمقاتلين في محيط بلدة أم المياذن بريف درعا". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
    24. ^ Al Jazeera. "Syrian rebels take key checkpoint near Jordan". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
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