Western al-Bab offensive (September 2016)

Western al-Bab offensive (September 2016)
	Part of the Syrian Civil War, the Syrian Kurdish-Islamist conflict (2013-present), and the American-led intervention in Syria
	; Jabhat al-Akrad fighters near Herbel, two months before the offensive
Date	30 August – 6 September 2016; (1 week; First phase); 24–28 September 2016; (4 days; Second phase)
Location	Azaz District, Aleppo Governorate (For a war map of the current situation in Western al-Bab, see here.)
Result	Limited SDF gains SDF capture 7 villages; ISIL launches four counter-attacks;
Belligerents
Syrian Democratic Forces; CJTF-OIR United States;	Islamic State
Commanders and leaders
Ahmed Sultan Abu Arraj (Army of Revolutionaries deputy commander); Abu Steyf (Jabhat al-Akrad commander); Zaidoun Hedo (SDF official)	Unknown
Units involved
Syrian Democratic Forces Army of Revolutionaries Jabhat al-Akrad Shahba Women's Front[citation needed]; Tel Rifaat Revolutionaries Battalion; ; Quwat al-Ashair (Tribal Forces); ; Northern Democratic Brigade; People's Protection Units; Women's Protection Units; Al-Bab Military Council;	Unknown
Strength
Unknown	3,000+ militants
Casualties and losses
40 killed (SOHR and SDF claim); One BMP-1 and one T-72 destroyed; 30 killed (ISIL claim)	58 killed, 7 vehicles destroyed (SDF claim)

The western al-Bab offensive (September 2016) was a military operation launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the countryside of northwestern Aleppo Governorate, south of the towns of Mare' and Tel Rifaat.

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Syrian Democratic Forces launch new operation against ISIS in Aleppo, expel militants from four villages". ARA News. 30 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ Cite error: The named reference village was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Rebel Army leader: we control the village of Um Hosh in northern Aleppo". Qassioun News Agency. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ "Kurds Front to Shahba residents: be patient, we are coming". Hawar News Agency. 3 September 2016. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ "Kurds Front: we will resist to the last gasp". Hawar News Agency. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
^ "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "#SRO - IMPORTANT - Here are the two "border" forces (one old : Quwat al-Ashair) to secure the future buffer zone between #Rojava and regime."". Twitter. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
^ "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "ADD.: Quwat al-Ashair is part of #SDF but is a mainly arab-led force. Liwa Shuhada Kafr Saghir isn't part of #NDF contrary to some hoax."". Twitter. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
^ "KurdisCat: 3 membres de Jabhat al Akrad i Quwat al-Ashair moren en combat contra l'IS al front d'al Bab". Kurdiscat.blogspot.com. 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
^ "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "@sovietlijie Yes a tribal force, composed with arab clans from KafrNaya, Susian areas as others families."". Twitter. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
^ "Edit Town Herbel In The Aleppo Countryside North By The Revolutionary Factions". Radio Welat. 31 August 2016.
^ "Turkey bogged down in Syria as it realigns with Russia". AP News. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
^ "10 fighters from The Syria Democratic Forces Killed, and a funeral of 15 other fighters in Afrin area". SOHR. 3 September 2016.
^ "A statement to the public opinion". Jaysh al-Thuwar. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
^ "9 SDF fighters killed". ARA News. 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Kurdish offensive against ISIS in northern Aleppo goes horribly wrong". AM. 4 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "A statement to the public". Aleppo Achammala. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
^ "24 ISIS militants killed". ARA News. 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.

[ara-1] "Syrian Democratic Forces launch new operation against ISIS in Aleppo, expel militants from four villages". ARA News. 30 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[village-2] Cite error: The named reference village was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[qas-3] "Rebel Army leader: we control the village of Um Hosh in northern Aleppo". Qassioun News Agency. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[4] "Kurds Front to Shahba residents: be patient, we are coming". Hawar News Agency. 3 September 2016. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[5] "Kurds Front: we will resist to the last gasp". Hawar News Agency. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

[6] "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "#SRO - IMPORTANT - Here are the two "border" forces (one old : Quwat al-Ashair) to secure the future buffer zone between #Rojava and regime."". Twitter. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2017-03-02.

[7] "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "ADD.: Quwat al-Ashair is part of #SDF but is a mainly arab-led force. Liwa Shuhada Kafr Saghir isn't part of #NDF contrary to some hoax."". Twitter. 2016-11-26. Retrieved 2017-03-02.

[8] "KurdisCat: 3 membres de Jabhat al Akrad i Quwat al-Ashair moren en combat contra l'IS al front d'al Bab". Kurdiscat.blogspot.com. 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2017-03-02.

[9] "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter: "@sovietlijie Yes a tribal force, composed with arab clans from KafrNaya, Susian areas as others families."". Twitter. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2017-03-02.

[10] "Edit Town Herbel In The Aleppo Countryside North By The Revolutionary Factions". Radio Welat. 31 August 2016.

[bogged-11] "Turkey bogged down in Syria as it realigns with Russia". AP News. Retrieved 13 January 2017.

[12] "10 fighters from The Syria Democratic Forces Killed, and a funeral of 15 other fighters in Afrin area". SOHR. 3 September 2016.

[opinion-13] "A statement to the public opinion". Jaysh al-Thuwar. 20 September 2016. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.

[intensifies-14] "9 SDF fighters killed". ARA News. 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.

[masdar-15] "Kurdish offensive against ISIS in northern Aleppo goes horribly wrong". AM. 4 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.

[31sp-16] "A statement to the public". Aleppo Achammala. 31 August 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.

[17] "24 ISIS militants killed". ARA News. 29 September 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.

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