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|commander2=
|commander2=
|units1=Unknown
|units1=Unknown
|units2=11th Tank Division<ref name="11thtank"/>
|units2=11th Tank Division<ref name="11thtank"/><br>678 Squadron<ref name="storm">[http://spioenkop.blogspot.nl/2013/04/abu-ad-duhur-airbase-captured-by-fsa-1.html The storming of Abu ad-Duhor airbase]</ref>
|strength1=1000+ fighters<ref name="700soldiers"/>
|strength1=1000+ fighters<ref name="700soldiers"/>
|strength2=700 soldiers<ref name="700soldiers"/>
|strength2=700 soldiers<ref name="700soldiers"/>
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== Siege ==
== Siege ==
During the ongoing [[Syrian civil war]] which started in 2011, rebels from the [[Free Syrian Army]] besieged the base in September 2012 and reportedly shot down a fighter jet. Supplies for the troops were airdropped by helicopters that flew in from airbases in Hama. The rebels have also upped their attacks on the airport.<ref name=timemaar>{{cite news|author=Rania Abouzeid |url=http://world.time.com/2013/02/07/ground-war-syrias-rebels-prepare-to-take-a-province-from-assad/ |title=Ground War: Syria’s Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad |publisher=TIME |date=Feb 7, 2013 |accessdate=Feb 7, 2013}}</ref> They claimed that as a result of their employment of anti-aircraft weaponry, they have rendered flights from the base inoperable.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/05/us-syria-crisis-rebel-fighting-idUSBRE88413220120905 Rebels attack Syrian military airport, say shot down jet]. ''[[Reuters]]''. 2012-09-05.</ref><ref>Chivers, C.J. [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/world/middleeast/rebels-make-gains-in-blunting-syrian-air-attacks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. 2012-09-26.</ref> {{anchor|al-Khashir}}In 2013, al-Khashir checkpoint (north east of the airport) was destroyed and burned by rebels.<ref>{{cite news|author=Archicivilians |url=https://archicivilians.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/b-abu-adduhur2.jpg |title=Abu-ad Duhur |publisher=Archicivilians |date=August 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref> However, the army kept control of the village.<ref name=ejmabud>{{cite news|author=Elijah J. Magnier |url=https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/560140031726071808 |title=JAN Map video clearly showing the current situation in Abu_Dhuhur_airbase |publisher=Elijah J. Magnier |date=January 27, 2015 |accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref>
During the ongoing [[Syrian civil war]] which started in 2011, rebels from the [[Free Syrian Army]] besieged the base in September 2012 and reportedly shot down a fighter jet. Supplies for the troops were airdropped by helicopters that flew in from airbases in Hama. The rebels have also upped their attacks on the airport.<ref name=timemaar>{{cite news|author=Rania Abouzeid |url=http://world.time.com/2013/02/07/ground-war-syrias-rebels-prepare-to-take-a-province-from-assad/ |title=Ground War: Syria’s Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad |publisher=TIME |date=Feb 7, 2013 |accessdate=Feb 7, 2013}}</ref> They claimed that as a result of their employment of anti-aircraft weaponry, they have rendered flights from the base inoperable.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/05/us-syria-crisis-rebel-fighting-idUSBRE88413220120905 Rebels attack Syrian military airport, say shot down jet]. ''[[Reuters]]''. 2012-09-05.</ref><ref>Chivers, C.J. [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/world/middleeast/rebels-make-gains-in-blunting-syrian-air-attacks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks]. ''[[The New York Times]]''. 2012-09-26.</ref> {{anchor|al-Khashir}}In 2013, al-Khashir checkpoint (north east of the airport) was destroyed and burned by rebels.<ref>{{cite news|author=Archicivilians |url=https://archicivilians.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/b-abu-adduhur2.jpg |title=Abu-ad Duhur |publisher=Archicivilians |date=August 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref> However, the army kept control of the village.<ref name=ejmabud>{{cite news|author=Elijah J. Magnier |url=https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/560140031726071808 |title=JAN Map video clearly showing the current situation in Abu_Dhuhur_airbase |publisher=Elijah J. Magnier |date=January 27, 2015 |accessdate=January 28, 2015}}</ref> The base itself was also stormed by the FSA on 30 April 2013.<ref name="storm"/>


{{anchor|Haymat ad Dayir}}{{anchor|Mustarihah}}In early morning of 27 November 2014, heavily armed army units moved from Abu Duhur airbase under cover of artillery and air force and captured Haymat ad Dayir and Mustarihah villages north of the airbase, before retreating back to the airbase.<ref>{{cite news|author= |url=http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/arab-and-world/syria/2014/11/28/%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A9.html |title=تقدم عسكري للمعارضة بريف إدلب والمعارك محتدمة |publisher=alarabiya |date=28 November 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Elijah J. Magnier |url=https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/538240965614780416 |title=SAA control of Khaz'zanat helped forces inside Al-Zohour military airport 2advance into near-by Tal Selmo and Mustariha villages. |publisher=Elijah J. Magnier |date=27 November 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref>
{{anchor|Haymat ad Dayir}}{{anchor|Mustarihah}}In early morning of 27 November 2014, heavily armed army units moved from Abu Duhur airbase under cover of artillery and air force and captured Haymat ad Dayir and Mustarihah villages north of the airbase, before retreating back to the airbase.<ref>{{cite news|author= |url=http://www.alarabiya.net/ar/arab-and-world/syria/2014/11/28/%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%85-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A9.html |title=تقدم عسكري للمعارضة بريف إدلب والمعارك محتدمة |publisher=alarabiya |date=28 November 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Elijah J. Magnier |url=https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/538240965614780416 |title=SAA control of Khaz'zanat helped forces inside Al-Zohour military airport 2advance into near-by Tal Selmo and Mustariha villages. |publisher=Elijah J. Magnier |date=27 November 2014 |accessdate=23 December 2014}}</ref>

Revision as of 00:01, 9 September 2015

Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase
Part of the Syrian Civil War
DateSeptember 2012 – present
(Error: Need valid year, month, day)
Location
Abu al-Duhur, Syria
Result

Ongoing

  • Rebels capture Tell Salmo and al-Hamidiyeh[3]
Belligerents

File:Jaish al-Fatah Logo.jpgArmy of Conquest[1]

Syria Free Syrian Army

Syrian Arab Republic

Units involved
Unknown 11th Tank Division[4]
678 Squadron[5]
Strength
1000+ fighters[6] 700 soldiers[6]
Casualties and losses
Unknown 1 helicopter and 1 fighter jet downed[7][8]
Antonov An-26 crashed[9]

The Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase is a battle in the Idlib Governorate during the Syrian Civil War.

Siege

During the ongoing Syrian civil war which started in 2011, rebels from the Free Syrian Army besieged the base in September 2012 and reportedly shot down a fighter jet. Supplies for the troops were airdropped by helicopters that flew in from airbases in Hama. The rebels have also upped their attacks on the airport.[8] They claimed that as a result of their employment of anti-aircraft weaponry, they have rendered flights from the base inoperable.[10][11] In 2013, al-Khashir checkpoint (north east of the airport) was destroyed and burned by rebels.[12] However, the army kept control of the village.[13] The base itself was also stormed by the FSA on 30 April 2013.[5]

In early morning of 27 November 2014, heavily armed army units moved from Abu Duhur airbase under cover of artillery and air force and captured Haymat ad Dayir and Mustarihah villages north of the airbase, before retreating back to the airbase.[14][15]

After the capture of the Wadi Deif and Hamadiyah bases, the rebels turned their attention to the Abu al-Duhur airbase. They gathered about 1,000 fighters around the airport that is defended by about 700 soldiers.[6] On January 15, 2015, the rebels launched an offensive on the village of Tal Salmo that was geared at opening a new front south of the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase. the rebels attacked 2 points controlled by the army’s 11th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces (NDF) at Tal Salmo. the assault on the 2 axes was foiled by the loyalist forces after almost 2 days of non-stop fighting with the militant groups.[4] The following day, the rebels pounded the village of Tal Salmo with a barrage of mortar shells in order to weaken the army fortifications. After that, the militants stormed the army defenses at Tal Salmo, attempting to breach the latter’s frontlines from the western perimeter of the village. The rebels were unsuccessful in their infiltration attempt, as the army fought off the assault, resulting in their complete control of the checkpoints adjacent to the village.[16] 10 days later, it was reported that the rebels were in control of Tal Salmo.The village has strategic importance because it is close to the main gate of the airport and because it contains water wells that the troops in the airport consume via canalization.[3] A week later, violent clashes took place at the main gate of the airport.[17]

On 18 January 2015, an Antonov An-26 operated by the Syrian Air Force crashed while attempting to land at the besieged Abu al-Duhur military airport. There were 35 people on board,[18] 30 Syrian soldiers[19] and 5 Iranian military experts.[9] Syrian media and the pro-opposition SOHR, said that the crash was due to heavy fog or "technical issues".[18][20][19] However, Al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra Front claimed that they shot it down.[18][21][22] Syrian media provided a list with the names of the 30 Syrian soldiers who were killed.[19] Per SOHR, 13 Syrian officers were among the fatalities.[9]

On January 23, 2015, the rebels managed to control al-Hamidiyeh village on the East side of the Abu al-Duhur airbase. However they pulled out to the outskirt later.[23] On January 25, 2015, an Al Jazeera journalist from inside the village reported that the rebels were in control of al-Hamidiyeh.[3]

On 17 February, al-Nusra Front shot down a helicopter above the airbase.[7]

On August 26, 2015, rebels launched an assault on the Airport attempting to bypass the Army’s frontline defenses from two axes before they were repelled. The rebels began their assault by sending two suicide bombers with their vehicle borne improvised explosive devices (VBIED toward the base’s western gates; however, the two militants were unsuccessful in reaching their destination, as the guards destroyed the enemy vehicles. Following their unsuccessful suicide attacks, the militants stormed the western axis of the Airport, where they attempted to bypass the fortifications at the main gate of the base. Then the rebels stormed the eastern gates of the base from their positions at the village of al-Khashir. The clashes continued until the army repelled the attackers.[24]

On 7 September 2015, rebels launched another assault on the airbase under the cover of a heavy sandstorm[25] and captured a strategic point on its outskirts.[26] The next day, rebels advanced inside the airbase[27] and began posting pictures of them standing in the base on the social network.[28]

References

  1. ^ "Al Qaeda and allies form coalition to battle Syrian regime in Idlib". Long War Journal. 24 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Syrian rebels fight Syrian army near Assad heartland". Newsweek. Reuters. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015. As the biggest group in Army of Fatah, Ahrar al-Sham appears to hold the key to preventing infighting.
  3. ^ a b c "النصرة تسيطر على بلدات بمحيط مطار أبي الضهور بإدلب". Al Jazeera. 25 January 2015.
  4. ^ a b LEITH FADEL (January 15, 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Launches an Offensive at Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  5. ^ a b The storming of Abu ad-Duhor airbase
  6. ^ a b c "تحقيقات--مطار-أبو-الظهور-العسكري-..-والمعارك-التي-دارت-فيه". شبكة تفاعل التنموية. January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  7. ^ a b Al-Qaida rebels down Syrian helicopter over Idlib province
  8. ^ a b Rania Abouzeid (Feb 7, 2013). "Ground War: Syria's Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad". TIME. Retrieved Feb 7, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c sohranas. "11 military leaders from militia of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards die over the last 24 hours". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ Rebels attack Syrian military airport, say shot down jet. Reuters. 2012-09-05.
  11. ^ Chivers, C.J. Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks. The New York Times. 2012-09-26.
  12. ^ Archicivilians (August 2014). "Abu-ad Duhur". Archicivilians. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  13. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (January 27, 2015). "JAN Map video clearly showing the current situation in Abu_Dhuhur_airbase". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  14. ^ "تقدم عسكري للمعارضة بريف إدلب والمعارك محتدمة". alarabiya. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  15. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (27 November 2014). "SAA control of Khaz'zanat helped forces inside Al-Zohour military airport 2advance into near-by Tal Selmo and Mustariha villages". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  16. ^ LEITH FADEL (January 16, 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Continues Their Push into Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  17. ^ "ريف إدلب خسائر للنظام في هجوم للنصرة على مدخل مطار أبو الظهور". Orient News. 1 February 2015.
  18. ^ a b c "Syria conflict: Army 'plane crash' kills 35 soldiers". BBC News. 2015-01-18.
  19. ^ a b c Leith Fadel. "Idlib: Cargo Jet Crashes Outside of Abu Dhuhour Airbase - 30 Dead". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  20. ^ "Syrian military plane crash kills 35, al-Qaida claims credit". UPI. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  21. ^ "Al Qaeda says downs Syrian cargo plane, army says fog causes crash". Reuters. 2015-01-18.
  22. ^ "ASN 20150118". Aviation Safety Network. 2015-01-18.
  23. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (January 23, 2015). "JAN control al-Hamidiyeh village". Elijah J. Magnier. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  24. ^ Leith Fadel (August 26, 2015). "Syrian Army Defeats Jabhat Al-Nusra at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Airport in Idlib". al masdar news. Retrieved August 30, 2015.
  25. ^ The sandstorms still protect citizens from Bashar al- Assad air force
  26. ^ The violent clashes continue around the airbase of Abo al- Dohur and the oilfield of Jazal
  27. ^ Violent clashes take place around Abo al- Dohur airbase, while shelling targets Sahl al- Ghab
  28. ^ Charles Lister on Twitter
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