2014 Latakia offensive

2014 Latakia offensive
Part of the Syrian civil war
Current situation in the Latakia Governorate   Syrian Army control   Opposition control
Date 21 March – ongoing (10 years, 7 months and 3 weeks) Location Latakia Governorate, Syria Result Ongoing Rebels capture the Kasab border crossing and its town, Al-Samra, Nab Al-Murr and Al-Nab’in Observatory 45 hill changes hands several times
Belligerents
Al-Nusra Front Junud al-Sham Islamic Front Ahrar ash-Sham Ansar al-Sham Harakat Sham al-Islam Free Syrian Army Supported by: Turkey	Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces National Defense Force Syrian Resistance Hezbollah
Commanders and leaders
Unknown top provincial Al-Nusra commander  † (Nusra Front commander) Abu Ahmed al-Turkmani (Nusra Front commander) Muslim al-Shishani (Junud al-Sham commander) Abu Musa al-Shishani (Ansar al-Sham commander) Abu al Hassan (Ahrar ash-Sham commander) Ibrahim bin Shakran  † (Harakat Sham al-Islam commander) Abu Safiya Al-Masri  † (Harakat Sham al-Islam deputy commander) Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir (FSA Chief of Staff)	Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub (Army Chief of Staff) Hilal al-Assad  † (Latakia NDF commander) Col. Suhail al-Hassan (Latakia NDF commander) Mihraç Ural (Syrian Resistance commander) Col. Samuel Ghannum  † (Observatory 45 commander)
Strength
4,000 fighters	Unknown
Casualties and losses
243 killed and 230+ wounded (opposition claim) 2,700 killed and 5,635 wounded (government claim)	274 killed and 565+ wounded (opposition claim) 50 killed (government claim)
11 civilians killed

The 2014 Latakia offensive is an ongoing rebel offensive in the Latakia Governorate launched on 21 March 2014 by rebel Islamist groups including Al-Nusra Front, which called the offensive "Anfal", while a coalition of Supreme Military Council rebel groups called the offensive "The Martyrs Mothers". The objectives of the offensive have been stated to be the taking over of all strategic observatories, government villages and the Mediterranean coast. According to a local activist in Latakia, rebels also hoped that this offensive would relieve pressure on other rebels who are badly weakened elsewhere in the country. The offensive, and in particular the degree of Turkish involvement in it, has been widely attributed to aggression against ethnic Armenians, who make up 70% of the population of Kessab, and has been compared with and seen as a continuation of the Armenian Genocide.

Rebel offensive

Kasab in 2010.

In the early hours of 21 March 2014, rebel fighters led by the Al-Nusra front advanced from Turkish territory and attacked the Kasab border crossing with Turkey. The fighters reportedly crossed into Syria from the village of Gözlekçiler. Turkish MP Mehmet Ali Edipoglu, visiting the Turkish side of the border several days after the attack began, said locals told him that "thousands of fighters coming from Turkey crossed the border at at least five different points to launch the attack on Kassab".

They initially managed to capture guard posts around the crossing but not the crossing itself. Rebel fighters also captured the nearby Al-Sakhra hill and a police station and directed mortar fire from the hill at the crossing and at the nearby Alawite village of Karsana, killing five people including a child. The leader of Al-Nusra for Latakia province was killed during the fighting. Rebels had also captured the Jabal al-Nisr mountain, but it was recaptured by the military within hours.

By 22 March, the rebels managed to capture the Kasab crossing, while Kesab town remained under government control and fighting was still continuing around both of them. Government forces launched a counter-attack in an attempt to recapture the crossing and a security source stated the Army had retaken the previous day two police stations that were seized by the rebels. According to the opposition activist group the SOHR, rebels at the crossing had been targeted by government troops since the previous day. In the meantime, rebels directed their attacks against a strategic hill known as Observatory 45, which they captured later in the day. Overall, the SOHR reported fighting in three government-held villages that were coming under a rebel attack and three rebel-held villages which the Army was trying to capture. As fighting spread to other villages, the military responded with air strikes and ambushes which left 20 rebels dead and 30 wounded around Observatory Kherbah Solas.

On 23 March, Turkish F-16s jet fighters shot down a Syrian warplane as it bombed rebels fighting around the border post. The pilot ejected safely, according to a Syrian military spokesman, who also claimed that the plane was in Syrian airspace; Turkish officials, however, claimed it violated their airspace. Meanwhile, significant military reinforcements were sent to the border area. Rebels also launched a new attack against the village of Kherbah Solas, about 25 kilometers south of Kasab. Opposition sources claimed that over 20 soldiers surrendered to the rebels in the village of Nab Al-Murr after a three-hour siege on a building. Later during the day, government forces recaptured Observatory 45 and secured the village of Al-Samra, while rebels captured the village of Al-Nab’in and the surroundings of Jabal al-Nisr, which forced the Army to evacuate it. However, the rebels were not able to capture the top of Jabal al-Nisr itself due to the Army's control of Observatory 45, which is the highest point in the region and oversees Jabal al-Nisr. During the day's fighting, the NDF commander of Latakia province, Hilal al-Assad, and seven pro-government militiamen were killed in fighting in Kasab. According to the rebel Islamic Front, he was killed when they used Grad rockets to hit a scheduled meeting of pro-government militia leaders in Latakia city.

On 24 March, according to the SOHR, rebels were in control of the village of Kasab, after capturing the main square the previous day, with fighting continuing in the town's outskirts, specifically the hills outside the center of Kasab. However, according to a military source, neither side had control of the village and the situation was unclear. Rebel jihadists reportedly took Armenian families hostage in Kasab and desecrated the town’s three Armenian churches. The Army managed to recapture the town of Nab al-Murr. Meanwhile, Turkish media claimed the leader of the pro-government Syrian Resistance militia, Mihraç Ural, had been killed the previous day. However, that evening Mihraç Ural posted a video on his Facebook account denying rumors of his death. Al-Arabiya television also claimed that two other cousins of Bashar al-Assad were killed in the fighting.

According to Col. Afif al-Suleimani, head of Idlib's rebel Military Council, the Army withdrew many of its soldiers from Idlib province to reinforce their forces in Latakia province after the rebel offensive against the coastal area began.

On 25 March, rebels captured Al-Samra and were reportedly advancing towards Anfal. A military source denied the village had fallen stating that fighting was still ongoing and that the Army was in complete control of the mountains overlooking Al-Samra. Meanwhile, fighting was still raging at Kasab, with the Army shelling the town and the Air force striking it four times around noon. Later, a pro-government news agency claimed the Army managed to recapture most of Kasab. According to the Editor-in-Chief of Aztag Daily, information warfare was being conducted and that it was too early to conclude whether government forces managed to regain control of the town, but confirmed fighting was ongoing. Rebels had also once again captured Observatory 45, after a Tunisian suicide bomber in an armored troop carrier blew himself up in the Observatory's yard killing a number of soldiers, including Colonel Samuel Ghannum, commander of Observatory 45. The fall of the Observatory removed the threat of artillery strikes against Jabal al-Nisr and the rebels were able to occupy its peak. Government troops from the hill retreated towards Qastal Maaf. Fighting around Observatory 45 continued. Meanwhile, the Army recaptured Al-Nab’in. 19 rebels and 16 soldiers were killed during the day's fighting and 40 soldiers and 100 rebels were wounded. The Turkish Army accused the Syrian government of "harassing" five Turkish F-16 fighter jets with surface-to-air missile systems. The Turkish F-16's intercepted four Syrian aircraft approaching Turkish airspace in Yayladagi and Cilvegozu of Hatay province in southern Turkey before the incident occurred.

On 26 March, rebels slowly pressed their advance from Observatory 45 and attacked the town of Qastal Maaf. Fighting had also renewed at Al-Nab’in. The battle for both towns had been described as a seesaw one with both attacks and retreats. At the same time, fighting continued around Kasab, Observatory 45 and Al-Samra as the Army intensified its shelling on Kasab and Al-Samra. The government mobilised thousands of soldiers and NDF fighters to retake the areas that had been lost to the rebels and many government supporters, the majority of them Alawites, volunteered to fight against the rebels. A military officer claimed rebels had been pushed back from Observatory 45, but were still in nearby areas. Another source also confirmed that the Army had beaten back the rebels from Observatory 45, but did not reoccupy it, instead securing the hill's surroundings. The military had also evacuated from Nab al-Murr, due to the town's vulnerability to rebel shelling from Observatory 45 and Jabal al-Nisr. Pro-government sources claimed 500 rebels and 50 soldiers had been killed since the start of the offensive, while the SOHR stated around 100 fighters on each side had died.

The Syrian government called on the United Nations to halt the Turkish involvement in the Kasab region. It accused the Turkish government for "organizing, receiving, funding and hosting tens of thousands of terrorists from various Takfiri movements and facilitating their entry into the Syrian territories" and for providing the rebels with direct military support in the region.

On 27 March, several helicopter and air strikes were conducted against Observatory 45, while Jabhat Al-Nusra reinforcements arrived in the contested areas. Two pro-government sources reported the military managed to defend their positions at Al-Nab’in and Qastal Maaf and was advancing towards Kasab from the two towns. A pro-opposition source reported that rebels managed to capture Al-Nab’in but that fighting was ongoing as the military was trying to recapture both it and Kasab. Another source reported that the military recaptured Al-Nab’in after it received reinforcements from troops who evacuated Jabal al-Nisr. Fighting was also still raging around Al-Samra. A pro-government newspaper also claimed another 200 rebel fighters had been killed in the last day. The military intelligence head in Latakia province was reportedly able to escape after he was surrounded by rebels for five days in Al-Nab’in. By the end of this day, according to the SOHR, more than 150 pro-government fighters, including 14 officers, had been killed since the start of the offensive.

On 28 March, it was reported that the rebels had blocked several attempts by the Syrian Army to send reinforcements to Latakia.

On 29 March, Al-Nab’in was once again reported under rebel control, but with fighting continuing in its outskirts. Al Aan TV claimed that 10 pro-government fighters were killed in an attempt by the Army to recapture Observatory 45. It also reported the arrival of Hezbollah fighters in the area. According to a local activist, the FSA had set up a joint operations room under command of Brigadier General and FSA Chief of Staff Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir to support the rebel offensive.

On 30 March, the SOHR reported that several attempts by the Army to retake areas in northern Latakia had been repelled by the rebels. However, the military was bringing more reinforcements from the coastal city of Tartous to try and stem the rebel advance.

By 31 March, thousands of refugees reportedly fled to Latakia city, while a rising tension between the Armenian-Christian-Alawite community and the Turkmen community was reported. At this time, Barnabas Aid stated 80 Christian civilians were killed and thousands more displaced after rebel fighters captured Kasab. According to the SOHR, 1,052 fighters from both sides had been killed and wounded since the start of the offensive. Among the dead were 27 Army officers and 56 foreign rebel fighters.

During the day, government forces made an attempt to advance towards Kasab as the rebel offensive started to stagnate and state TV made a live report from near the hilltop of Observatory 45 claiming the Army had recaptured it. The SOHR confirmed the Army made progress in the area and stated that government troops managed to install multiple rocket launcher on Observatory 45, but fighting was continuing in the vicinity of the hillside. Meanwhile, rebels hit the pro-government village of Bahloulieh with seven Grad missiles. Other pro-government villages were also shelled with mortars. The Turkish Army stated that they had returned fire after mortar shells and a rocket struck areas near the town of Yayladagi.

After midnight, government troops ambushed rebels in the forest around Observatory 45 resulting in a number of deaths among opposition fighters.

On 1 April, Ahmad Jarba, head of the Syrian National Coalition, visited the front-line in the Kasab region. The SOHR also denied State TV's claim that the Army had recaptured Observatory 45, stating that clashes are still ongoing over the hilltop.

On 2 April, according to the SOHR, the rebels reached the perimeter of al-Badrousiya village where violent clashes took place amid new Army reinforcements in that area. Opposition activists in Latakia claimed that the rebels repulsed an Army attack on Observation Post 45. During the fighting for the hill, the Moroccan leader of the Harakat Sham al-Islam rebel group, Ibrahim bin Shakran, was killed. A local rebel commander was also killed in other clashes, while "dozens of bodies" of pro-government fighters were reportedly bussed to the city of Tartous, according to opposition activist's claims. An opposition TV station also claimed that 11 Hezbollah fighters were captured in an ambush by rebels in the province, but this report couldn't be verified.

On 3 April, according to the SOHR, rebels managed to regain control over the buildings of Observatory 45 after they were captured by pro-government fighters during the night. At least 11 rebels were killed in the fighting, while at least 20 pro-government fighters were killed and wounded. But later activists reported that government forces, supported by the NDF, had managed to reach the peak of Observatory 45 and clashes ensued with opposition fighters, including Jabhat al-Nusra. The SOHR also updated the past day's rebel death toll to 20.

On 4 April, the SOHR reported that 64 rebels, including 40 foreign fighters, and 35 government soldiers were killed in fighting for Observatory 45 over the previous two days. 50 soldiers were also wounded and among rebel fatalities, beside the leader of Harakat Sham al-Islam, was the group's Egyptian military commander, Abu Safiya Al-Masri. Fighting was continuing around Observatory 45 with mutual bombardment from both sides, while the Syrian Army’s chief of staff, general Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, visited government forces on top of the hill at the post. Eight rebels and eight pro-government fighters were killed and 15 wounded in the fighting at Observatory 45. Meanwhile, the Turkish Army fired shells into Syria, responding to six shells that landed in Yayladadi.

On 5 April, after midnight, government troops ambushed rebels on the road towards Al-Nab’in resulting in a number of deaths among opposition fighters, while two Moroccan field commanders of Ahrar Al-Sham were killed in fighting in Kasab. It was reported that Latakia city was hit by two Grad missiles during the day.

On 7 April, fighting erupted on the edges of the Jabal al-Haramiya area with government forces advancing. On 12 April, fighting erupted in Al-Nab’in and Nab Al-Murr.

By 13 April, government forces were currently battling rebel groups in the outskirts of Kesab.

Reactions

Foreign reaction

• Armenia - President Serzh Sargsyan made a press statement at the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague (Netherlands) expressing his deep concern over the events in Kessab, remembering that the Armenian population of Kessab had experienced exile and deportation in April 1909 and in 1915 (during the Armenian Genocide), making a parallel with the 2014 situation: "The third deportation of Kessab Armenians today is a serious challenge to ethnic minority rights protection mechanisms of the 21st century." He also thanked the Syrian authorities for the steps being taken to protect the Armenians in Kessab.
• Canada - Andrew P. W. Bennett, Canadian Ambassador to the Office of Religious Freedom stated: "Canada is deeply concerned by the recent attacks by al Qaeda affiliated armed groups on the ancient Armenian town of Kessab in the Latakia district of northern Syria during which Armenian churches were reportedly desecrated and Armenians driven from their homes...We stand determined that the perpetrators be brought to justice for such acts and to stem the rising tide of sectarian violence.".
• Nagorno-Karabakh - David Babayan, Spokesman for the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, said that Turkey continues its anti-Armenian policy, in particular in Kessab: "Through subversive attacks, Turkey tries to make Armenians leave Syria and aims to liquidate the Armenian community of Syria." He also stated that while it would be preferable for Syrian Armenians to remain in Syria and preserve their communities there, Nagorno-Karabakh would be ready to accept and welcome any refugees.
• Russia - Gennady Gatilov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, condemned the attack on Kesab and the ethnic cleansing of Armenian Syrians in Latakia. He accused Turkey, the western countries and the Persian gulf states of supporting terrorism in Syria and called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the situation. The UN Security Council declined Russia's meeting proposal.
  • Chechnya - Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, condemned the attack on Kesab and accused Turkey of assisting terrorists and expressed his condolences to the ethnic Armenian victims. He said: "The official data says the attack on Kesab was carried out by al-Qaida militants affiliated with the so-called al-Nusra Front and Islamic Front. I am stating herein bindingly that these terrorists have nothing in common with Islam and cannot be called Moslems." Kadyrov also accused the U.S. and European countries of remaining silent on the attack and accused NATO members of contributing to it: "These terrorists have been reared, fostered and armed by the West and trained by secret services of NATO countries. They are fulfilling a task to ruin Syria and weaken the Islamic countries."
• United States - State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf stated during a press briefing on March 28: "We are deeply troubled by recent fighting and violence that is endangering the Armenian community in Kessab, Syria and has forced many to flee. As we have said throughout this conflict, we deplore continued threats against Christians and other minorities in Syria". She ended adding: "The United States will continue its steadfast support to those affected by violence in Syria and throughout the region, including Syrian Armenians. We have long had concerns about the threat posed by violent extremists, and this latest threat to the Armenian community in Syria only underscores this further".

See also

• 2013 Latakia offensive