Daraa and As-Suwayda offensive (June 2015)

Daraa and As-Suwayda offensive (June 2015)
Part of the Syrian Civil War

Map showing the rebel advances and government counterattack
Date9–18 June 2015 (1 week and 2 days)
Location
Result Partial Southern Front-led rebel victory
Territorial
changes
  • Rebels capture Brigade 52, al-Rakham, al-Meleha al-Gharbia, al-Koum checkpoint and Sakakah[3]
  • SAA recaptures Sakakah[4]
  • Rebels temporally seized the western half of the al-Thula airbase,[5][6] before being forced to retreat the next day[7]
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front[1]

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

National Defense Force

Jaysh al-Muwahhideen[2]
Commanders and leaders
Col. Ziad Salamat (WIA)[8]
Lt. Col. Najm[9]
Syria Brig. Gen. Issam Zahreddine[10]
Syria Brig. Gen. Abdul-karim al-Haimi[11]
(al-Thula airbase commander)
Syria Brigade 52 garrison commander
Syria Col. Loay al-Salem [12]
(head air intelligence in as-Suwayda)
Syria Col. Wael Kamel Hadad  [13]
Units involved

Southern Front

Jaysh al-Islam[1]
Ahrar ash-Sham[15]

Syria 9th Armoured Division

  • 52nd Mechanized Brigade[16]
Strength
2,000 (Southern Front claim)[17] Unknown
Casualties and losses

36 killed (SOHR claim)[18][19]

125+ killed (government claim)[20][21]
28 killed and 3 captured (SOHR claim)[18][22]
83 killed (Southern Front claim)[17]
1 Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft lost[23]
7 BMP-1s & 3 T-72 tanks captured[24]

The Daraa and As-Suwayda offensive (June 2015) (titled "The battle of the crushing of the tyrants" by the Southern Front)[25] was launched in eastern Daraa Governorate during the Syrian Civil War, by the Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army and allied Islamic Front rebel group against government positions in and around the 52nd Mechanized Brigade base[24] (Liwa 52),[26] which housed an infantry unit, an artillery battalion and a T-72 tank battalion.[27] The offensive moved directly onto nearby al-Thula airbase in western As-Suwayda Governorate after the swift capture of Brigade 52.[5] However, after initially managing to capture parts of the airbase, the rebels were forced to withdraw.[7]

  1. ^ a b "جيش الإسلام on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  2. ^ Leith Fadel. "Druze from Sweida Mobilize to Route the Militants at Tha'lah Airbase". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference sakakah was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference sakakah1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Reuters_11June was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Syria clashes rage over army airbase in Sweida". Al Jazeera. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference regains was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Archicivilians on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Mark on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  10. ^ Lucas, Scott (12 June 2015). "Syria Daily: Rebels Begin Assault on Key Regime Airbase in South". EA WorldView. Retrieved 12 June 2015. State media also posted pictures claiming to be of Syrian troops, including the prominent commander General Issam Zahreddine, in the village of Thala close to the base.
  11. ^ "Ivan Sidorenko". Twitter. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Laoy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "القرداحة تنعي الطيار "حداد" بعد اسقاط طائرته السوخوي". كلنا شركاء في الوطن. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  14. ^ "Thomas van Linge on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference retreat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference prelude was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference washingtonpost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ a b sohranas (11 June 2015). "Exchange of detainees for bodies of the regime forces took place in Daraa, while more civilians killed in the countryside of Daraa". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  19. ^ sohranas (11 June 2015). "The regime forces shell al- Zabadani and the Eastern Ghouta, while a shell wounds some people in the center of Damascus". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  20. ^ h.said (12 June 2015). "The army establishes control over more areas in Qalamoun, intensifies operations in southern region".
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference 25rebels was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Master (10 June 2015). "About 30 regime forces killed in Dar'a". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  23. ^ Alessandria Masi (11 June 2015). "Syrian Rebel Gains In Daraa Put Opposition And Regime In A Tug-Of-War For Syria's Druze Population". International Business Times. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  24. ^ a b "In Southern Syria, a Rebel Offensive Begins". Stratfor. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2015. The government in Damascus was broadly aware of an impending assault on their southern positions and had been preparing defenses for months. The fact that the 52nd Mechanized Brigade collapsed quickly despite advanced planning indicates the degree to which the Syrian military has been weakened. The rebels seized considerable equipment and weaponry from the base, including at least seven BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles and several T-72 tanks, as well as weapons and munitions.
  25. ^ "Syrian military and Druze allies join forces to fend off 'terrorists'". The Los Angeles Times. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015. The opposition labeled the attack "the battle of the crushing of the tyrants"
  26. ^ "Syrian rebels capture army base in south: rebels, monitor". Reuters. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  27. ^ "Syrian rebel forces seize major military base from government". The Guardian. AP. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2015.

© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search