Jump to content

Battle of Qalamoun (2013–2014)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Qalamoun
Part of the Syrian civil war

Battle of Western Qalamoun (2013–2017)
  Syrian Government & Hezbollah control
  Lebanese Government & Hezbollah control
  Syrian Opposition control
For a war map of the current situation in Rif Dimashq, see here.
Date15 November – 15 December 2013
(1 month) (First phase)

10 February – 16 March 2014
(1 month and 6 days) (Second phase)

17 March – 26 April 2014
(1 month, 1 week and 2 days) (Third phase)
Location
Qalamoun Mountains (An-Nabek District and Yabroud District), Syria
Result

Decisive Syrian Army & Hezbollah victory

Belligerents

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

Hezbollah
Arab Nationalist Guard

Al-Nusra Front[1]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Green Battalion[1]

Syria Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front
Commanders and leaders
Syria Gen. Badi Ali[2]

Abu Malek al-Tallah (WIA)[3]
(Qalamoun commander)[4]
Abu Azzam Al-Kuwaiti †[5]
(Qalamoun deputy commander
Ahmed al-Assir[6]
(Lebanon commander)
Abu Ayman al-Iraq[7]

Ahmad Nawaf Durra †[8]
(Qalamoun commander)
Bilal Kharyoush †[8]
(Qalamoun deputy commander)
Salim Barakat †[9]
(Qara commander)
Firas Qassem †[10]
(local Yabrud commander)
Units involved

Syrian Armed Forces

Iraqi militias

Christian militias

Katiba al-Bittar al-Libi
Strength
~10,000 Syrian Army troops[15][16] (deployed for the assault on Yabrud)
15,000 Hezbollah fighters (opposition claim)[17]
"Several hundred" Christian militiamen[13]		 25,000–30,000 rebels[18]
Casualties and losses
First phase:
Unknown
Second phase:
180 killed (47 Hezbollah fighters; Army claim)[citation needed]
1,800 killed and injured[19] (140 Hezbollah fighters; opposition claim)[20]		 First phase:
100 killed and captured (An-Nabk battle; Army claim)[21]
Second phase:
1,479 killed,[citation needed] including at least 13 commanders[22] (Army claim)
Low hundreds of losses (opposition claim)[19]

The Battle of Qalamoun started on 15 November 2013, with air strikes on the town of Qara, in the strategic Qalamoun region, in an attempt by the Syrian Army to cut rebel supply lines to Damascus from Lebanon.[23] The strategic region had been used by rebel forces as a rear base for its operations around the capital Damascus. For its part, government forces had been using the nearby highway to link Damascus with the central Homs province and had multiple weapons depots in the area.[24] The battle was primarily led on the rebel side by the Al-Nusra Front.[1]

2013 Army offensive

[edit]

Capture of Qara

[edit]

Between 15 and 17 November, 1,200–1,700 families, 90 percent of Qara, evacuated from the town over the border into the Lebanese town of Arsal, after the Syrian Army issued a warning that they were going to attack rebel forces in the area.[25][26] In preparation for the offensive, thousands of Hezbollah fighters positioned themselves opposite the Qalamoun region on the Lebanese side of the border.[27] For its part, rebels had been digging in for months, preparing a network of caves and bunkers in the mountains.[28]

On 15 November, the military launched its offensive against Qara[29] and the next day multiple air strikes hit the rebel-held town.[30] Fighting was also raging near the towns of An-Nabk and Rima.[31][32] The clashes led to the closure of the Damascus-Homs highway.[27] Rebel forces in the area mobilised to counter the Army offensive.[33]

On 17 November, government forces moved into the hills around Qara[34] and were attempting to storm the town itself[23] as more air strikes were conducted.[35] Artillery was also used to hit the town.[36][37] By the afternoon, government forces were not able to advance in the city despite repeated attempts and the constant bombardment.[38]

On 18 November, government troops continued the offensive, capturing key positions in Qara, according to the pro-government al-Watan daily newspaper.[39] The Air Force carried out several raids on al-Qalamoun and Yabrud mountains, as pro-government press sources claimed that the Army controlled large parts of Qara.[40] A man who fled Qara into Lebanon described the attack on the town and stated "Qara is finished".[41] Middle East security officials stated there were few signs yet of a massive Syrian armour build-up needed for an all-out assault on Qalamoun. They speculated that the government may conclude that dwindling rebel supplies from Lebanon would mean an all-out assault is not worth the cost.[42]

On 19 November, government forces took full control of Qara.[43][44][45] Rebels retreated from the town towards An-Nabk and Deir Attiyeh.[46]

Rebel attack on Deir Attiyeh

[edit]

On 20 November, a series of suicide attacks occurred against government forces in An-Nabk and Deir Attiyeh. A suicide car bomber targeted a military checkpoint while another blew up near a security headquarters, both on the outskirts of An-Nabk. In another incident, two Saudis tried to blow up the hospital in Deir Attiyeh but were stopped by government soldiers.[47] In the attack on the checkpoint seven soldiers were killed and five wounded, while several soldiers died in the attack on the hospital. After the Saudi bombers exploded, five rebel fighters entered the hospital in an attempt to destroy medical equipment and kidnap a wounded Army officer and the Ikhbariya al-Suriya television crew. However, they were beaten back by the Army and the officer and crew were saved. Meanwhile, eight rebels were killed in fighting in the countryside around Deir Attiyeh.[48][49]

On 22 November, rebel forces, led by militants from ISIL and Al-Nusra Front, mostly seized the largely Christian town of Deir Attiyeh. Only the Bassel hospital and a small hill remained under Army control.[50]

On 25 November, the Army started deploying troops in Deir Attiyeh, in preparation to recapture the town,[51] and soon after launched a counter-attack.[52] The next day, the Air Forces hit Al-Nabk, killing seven people, including three children. Meanwhile, the Syrian Health Minister, Saad al-Nayef, accused the rebels of committing a "massacre" in Deir Attiyeh, killing "five doctors, five nurses and two ambulance drivers."[53] Opposition activists confirmed five doctors and four nurses were killed in the clashes at the main hospital.[54]

On 27 November, four Hezbollah fighters were killed in fighting in the Qalamoun region, one of them the nephew of the Lebanese Caretaker Agriculture Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan, a top Hezbollah official.[55] At this time, fighting started in the area of the government-held town of Maaloula.[56]

On 28 November, the Army recaptured Deir Attiyeh,[57] with fighting continuing in the surrounding countryside.[58]

Army push into An-Nabek, fighting in Maaloula

[edit]

The same day the Army recaptured Deir Attiyeh, government forces entered An-Nabek[59] and fighting raged around the town.[60] A military source stated that if the town would to be captured, the Army would be left with only Yabrud and some other villages to take in order to completely block off the border with Lebanon.[59]

On 29 November, the Army was shelling rebel positions in the town that had halted its advance.[61] Government forces detained dozens of people in the western part of An-Nabk that they had captured.[62]

On the night of 29 November,[63] rebel forces started an attack on Maaloula, in an attempt to capture it[64] and cut Army supply lines from Damascus to An-Nabk,[63] after their previous attack on the town was repelled in September.[64] In the early hours of the next day, the rebels broke into the town and captured the Mar Takla convent in the western part of Maaloula.[63] Meanwhile, fighting was still continuing in An-Nabk, which was hit with several air strikes. The Air Force also attacked Yabrud.[64]

On 1 December, fighting in Maaloula was concentrated in the old quarter of the town.[65] Meanwhile, a suicide bomber attacked a police checkpoint on the Damascus-Homs highway, near An-Nabk, killing five government fighters. By this point, according to a Syrian security source, the military had captured 60 percent of An-Nabk.[66]

On 2 December, the rebels moved into the center of Maaloula, after sending explosive-filled tires hurtling down from positions in the cliffs above the town on security forces deployed there.[67] By this point, rebel forces captured the old quarter of Maaloula.[68][69] The Army and pro-government militias fought during the day in an attempt to retake the district. Several nuns from the monastery were being held by rebel fighters[70] and, according to a Vatican spokesperson, the 12 Syrian and Lebanese Orthodox nuns were forcibly taken north in the direction of Yabrud. During the evening, rebels had taken full control of Maaloula,[56] with fighting continuing against government forces in the town's outskirts.[71] At the same time, the Army captured most of An-Nabk and continued to advance through the town the next day.[72] Due to the advances, the Army reopened the Damascus-Homs highway.[73]

On 3 December, the Army sent reinforcements to Maaloula to link up with government forces still on the outskirts of the town and attempt to retake it.[74]

On 6 December, government forces reportedly killed at least 18 people, including children, in an underground shelter in the government-held Al-Fattah district of An-Nabk. The opposition claimed that government troops torched the bodies after the killings "in a bid to conceal their crime".[75] The next day, the number of those killed was updated to 40.[76][77]

On 8 December, the Army advanced further, capturing new sectors of An-Nabk.[78] The next day, the Army reopened the Damascus-Homs highway, after securing it for the most part. However, according to SOHR, the highway was still not fully secured due to continuing rebel attacks.[79] On 10 December, the Army took full control of An-Nabk,[80] with fighting continuing in its outskirts[81] as a pocket of rebel resistance in a small area east of the town remained.[80] State TV aired a live report from An-Nabk's main square[81] in the center of the town.[82] According to a pro-government newspaper, 100 rebels were killed or captured during the battle for the town.[21]

On 11 December, government forces shelled the outskirts of Yabrud and the Rima area, as well as the outskirts of An-Nabk.[83] Several air strikes were also conducted against Yabrud.[84] By 15 December, the military was prepared to storm the town.[85]

Interlude

[edit]

Early on 21 December, Hezbollah forces ambushed a group of Al-Nusra Front rebels on the Lebanese side of the border in Wadi al-Jamala, on the outskirts of Nahle, a mountainous area opposite the Qalamoun region. The rebels were attempting to infiltrate Lebanon from Syria via an illegal border crossing. 32 rebels and one Hezbollah fighter were killed and one Hezbollah fighter was wounded.[86]

On 27 December, the Army ambushed a rebel force in a mountainous area between Maaloula and Yabrud,[87] leaving 65 rebels dead[88] and 20 wounded.[89] The same day, 15 people were killed by landmines in the area between Yabrud and An-Nabk.[90]

On 19 January 2014, more than 60 rebel fighters were killed in an ambush by government forces,[91] while they were attempting to attack the Christian town of Saidnaya.[92]

On 30 January, it was reported the Syrian army was preparing to start the battle for control of Yabrud. During this time, the Reema Farms had been witnessing violent clashes between the Army and the rebels, while the military captured the hills around Al-Neaymat and Al-Abboudieh, along the Syrian-Lebanese border.[93]

2014 renewed Army offensive

[edit]
The Qalamoun Mountains

Battle for the hills

[edit]

On 10 February, the military renewed its offensive against rebels in the Qalamoun mountains.[94] On 12 February, the Syrian Air Force launched 20 airstrikes on Yabrud, while the Syrian Army captured the town of al-Jarajir, north-west of Yabrud near the Lebanese border.[95] The next day, according to the pro-government al-Watan newspaper, the Army captured the town of Sahel, the al-Arid road, Qamieh and al-Kornish areas surrounding Yabrud.[96]

Around 20 February, rebels ambushed a Hezbollah convoy near the Lebanese border while they were traveling towards the frontline.[97] 27 Hezbollah fighters were killed.[98]

By the end of February, according to a Hezbollah commander, government forces had captured 70 percent of the Qalamoun mountains.[99]

On 26 February, a rebel commander was killed outside Yabrud, while rebels claimed that they continued to withstand the offensive. They also claimed that the government offensive failed in the Rima Farms region to force a breakthrough.[100]

On 27 February, the pro-government Al-Watan newspaper reported that the Army captured two strategic hills near Yabrud that were being used by the rebels as supply routes.[101]

On 28 February, rebel sources claimed that their forces captured "Flag" hill and that Hezbollah retreated from the Sahel front.[102]

On 3 March, according to the Iranian Al-Alam news network, government forces recaptured Sahel and the previous day, the Army reportedly captured the strategic Al-Kuwaiti hill.[103] Meanwhile, according to the SOHR, fighting was still continuing in the Sahel area, but government forces were advancing. A journalist for Hezbollah's television channel Al-Manar made a TV report from the village.[104] Government forces were reportedly reinforced by an Iraqi militia for the assault.[105] 17 rebels, 15 government soldiers and militiamen and four Hezbollah fighters were killed during the day's fighting[106] and 30 rebels were captured.[107] One of the killed rebels was Hussein Mohammad Ammoun, who orchestrated a car bomb plot involving a female terrorism suspect in Lebanon the previous month.[108]

On 4 March, fighting was reportedly still continuing in the Sahel area,[109] while reporters were taken on a tour of the village.[107][106] A military commander also stated that the Army captured several hills and strategic positions on Yabrud's outskirts.[110] To the north of Yabrud, in the Rima area, helicopters bombarded rebel positions using barrel bombs.[106][111]

On 5 March, government forces in Sahel were preparing to advance towards Flitah[112] and Ras al-Ma'ara.[113] The next day, they pressed their offensive against Yabrud and captured the "Kuwait" and "Qatar" hills near the city.[114][115][116] The Army also captured areas in the Rima Farms region.[113][115] 17 rebels[117][118] and 15 soldiers were reportedly killed in the fighting.[115]

On 7 March 18 more rebels,[119] 11 soldiers and one Hezbollah fighter were killed in fighting in Yabrud's outskirts.[120]

On 9 March, the nuns captured by rebels in Maaloula, and held for more than three months in Yabrud, were released and were on their way to Damascus via Lebanon.[121] By this point, according to an opposition TV station, 200 government fighters had been killed in the month-long offensive to capture the Yabrud area. According to a Hezbollah website, 40 Hezbollah fighters had been killed by 7 March.[122]

On 11 March, after almost a month of fighting, government forces captured the Rima Farms region, positioning themselves directly facing Yabrud.[123][124]

Battle of Yabroud

[edit]

On 14 March, Hezbollah fighters approached Yabroud from the west as a diversion while Army troops attacked from the east, with fire support provided to both forces. This left the rebels under heavy bombardment and caught in a pincer.[125] The Army soon reached the eastern outskirts of the city.[126] During this time, Hezbollah commandos conducted a raid in which they killed 13 rebel leaders,[22][127] including the Kuwaiti Al-Nusra Qalamoun deputy commander, Abu Azzam al-Kuwaiti. This left rebel forces in disarray.[127][128] In the meantime, the Army captured Aqaba hill, east of the town. This forced the rebels to retreat towards their rear bases.[129] Government forces started entering Yabroud from the east and advanced along the town's main street, while rebels were retreating towards Rankous.[129] Fighting was also taking place on the northern edge, between Yabrud and Sahel.[129]

On 15 March, fighting was reportedly still raging at the eastern entrance of the city, with rebels sending reinforcements[128] after they managed to regroup, while Hezbollah fighters were also fighting inside the town itself.[128] Government troops managed to advance "hundreds of meters (yards) inside Yabroud", according to a military source. 15 air-strikes were conducted against the town during the day.[130] One of the strongest rebel groups was sent to defend Mar Maroun hill, east of the town. However, rebels were soon surprised when the Army captured Mar Maroun without any notable resistance.[19] Thus the Army captured all hills around the town.[128] The lack of resistance raised suspicions that the rebel group in charge of defending the hill made a deal with government forces.[19] After this, the Army controlled Yabrud's eastern approaches and northeastern boundary.[128] Later in the day, government forces had advanced two kilometers inside the town towards a roundabout, according to state TV.[131] The SOHR denied government troops had managed to enter the city and said they were still two kilometers away from it.[132] In the evening, rebel commanders held a meeting during which they decided to abandon Yabrud, with only the Al-Nusra Front deciding to still stay and fight.

On 16 March, Syrian troops, backed by Hezbollah fighters, captured most, if not all, of Yabroud, after entering the eastern part of the town the previous night.[133][134][135] Government forces had secured the town's main square, the Al-Akhzar Grand Mosque and the town's Catholic church.[136] Most of the opposition forces withdrew at dawn. 1,000 rebels retreated to the mountainous border area near the Lebanese town of Arsal.[133] Others fled to the nearby towns of Rankous, Flitah and Hosh Arab.[137] A small hardcore group of fighters remained in the town to fight to the death. The fighters were trying to drag Army troops into urban warfare, where they believed they had an advantage. However, by this point, rebel supplies for the town were cut off and weapons that were promised to opposition forces never arrived. As the Army was moving into Yabroud, the Air Force fired four rockets near the barren hills of Arsal, possibly targeting smugglers supplying rebels in the area.[138] In all, the Air Force conducted 20 air strikes during the day between Yabrud and Arsal and on the outskirts of Arsal, after hundreds of rebels poured into the area.[139] By noon, the Al-Nusra fighters had also retreated from the town. Military sources stated 500–1,000 rebels had been killed since the start of the operation to capture Yabrud.[136][140] The rebel's loss of the town was seen as a symbolic and practical blow for the opposition.[141] Due to the loss of Yabroud, the rebels had no way of supplying their forces in rural Damascus, where government forces were surrounding a series of opposition-held areas, denying them food, power and clean water. According to a security source, the Army's next targets were going to be Rankous and Flitah.[142] Later during the day, the Syrian Defense Minister, General Fahd Jassem al-Freij, inspected government troops in Yabroud.[143] By the evening, opposition forces completely withdrew from the area and headed towards the surrounding western villages, particularly the plains of the nearby city of Rankus.[144]

During the whole time that the battle was ongoing, the town was being hit by heavy shelling. The ferocity of the artillery strikes could be seen per one incident in which a group of 14 rebels was hit, leaving 12 of them dead and only two survivors.[145]

Third phase – Operations continue

[edit]

On 17 March, the Lebanese army sent commandos to the border area with Syria, as Syrian rebels continued to flee into Lebanon after the fall of Yabrud.[146] The Lebanese military detained 15 rebels trying to cross into Lebanon in the northern Akkar region of Wadi Khaled.[147] According to a Syrian Army source, 1,400 rebels from the FSA, Ahrar al-Sham and other groups had fled Yabrud in the previous two days, while 1,000 militants from the Al-Nusra Front remained to fight in the town, but they also eventually retreated. During the final fighting for Yabrud, 19 Hezbollah fighters were killed.[148] Government forces shelled Flitah,[149] as they prepared to assault the last rebel-held areas in the Qalamoun mountains, which includes Ras al-Maarra and Flitah, northwest of Yabrud, and Rankus to the south.[127] This would mark the start of the Army's third phase to capture the whole mountain range.[150] During the evening, a pro-government source reported that government troops had broken through the frontline at Ras al-Maarra.[citation needed]

On 18 March, many unconfirmed claims surfaced from cities in the Qalamoun mountains, claiming a will to negotiate with government forces to spare the numerous cities south of Yabrud, including Maalula, of an Army offensive.[151] Army troops were advancing towards Ras al-Ain, southwest of Yabrud, and captured several hills[152] overlooking the village. Later, it was reported the military and Hezbollah entered Ras al-Ain and were progressing.[153][154] Meanwhile, northwest of Yabrud, the Army entered Ras al-Maarra and captured large parts of it.[155]

On 19 March, the rebel's central front in the mountains appeared to be collapsing as the Army captured Ras al-Ain, after two days of fighting.[156] The military seized a factory in the village for manufacturing bombs, including car-bombs which bore Lebanese licence plaits.[157] Meanwhile, fierce fighting raged between Army and rebel forces at a checkpoint near Rankus, while government troops were also fighting rebel and jihadist forces around the villages of Bkhaa and Jobeh in the Qalamoun region.[158] Later, fighting also erupted in Rankus itself.[159] Rebel commander Abu Omar Al-Farouq claimed, via the pro-opposition Syria Newsdesk, that "dozens of battalions" were stationed in the hills surrounding Yabrud and were "awaiting orders to move towards the city", but he admitted that the previous withdrawal from the town resulted in a state of confusion among the rebels and "divided and dispersed their forces".[160]

On 20 March, a pro-government source claimed that Rankus would fall to the Army in a matter of hours.[161] The next day, the same source, claimed that the military captured Rankus,[162] but this was not independently confirmed.

On 23 March, a special Hezbollah unit infiltrated 11 kilometers deep inside rebel-held territory in the Qalamoun region and planted bombs inside the garden of a house frequented by three rebel car-bomb experts. When the experts arrived, along with four of their bodyguards, the bombs were detonated killing all seven of them.[163]

During the evening of 26 March, the Army and Hezbollah advanced on Flitah and attacked it in an attempt to capture the town. By the next day, the attack had been halted as the military shelled Flitah. Among those killed in the fighting was the commander of the rebel Military Council of Qalamoun and his deputy.[8][164]

On 28 March, rebels in Flitah appeared to be on the verge of collapse[165] and the next day, the Army captured Flitah and Ras Al-Maar,[166] leaving only Rankus to be captured by government forces before completely cutting rebel supplies from Lebanon into Qalamoun.[167]

On 31 March, it was reported by the SOHR that an Army Colonel was killed in the fighting[168] and two days later, according to the SOHR, "a dozen" government fighters were killed and wounded in a rebel ambush, while two rebels were reportedly killed in the clashes.[169]

On 7 April, fighting raged around al-Sarkha, near Rankus, with government forces reportedly advancing.[170] Later, the Fars News Agency reported the military managed to capture al-Sarkha and thus had broken through the rebel's first line of defense of Rankus.[171] The SOHR also confirmed the Army had advanced towards Rankus.[172]

On 8 April, the military captured the Saidnaya Observatory,[citation needed] near Rankus,[173] after fighting that killed 15 rebel fighters.[174] Later, fighting erupted in the outskirts of Rankus which left a rebel commander dead.[175] The state news agency claimed government forces captured a hilltop overlooking Rankus as well as a few neighborhoods of the town.[176] A military sources stated rebels were willing to surrender Rankus after their string of losses in the Qalamoun area.[177] Meanwhile, the frontline at al-Sarkha was still reported to be just north of the village. During this time, rebels were retreating towards Zabadani, further south, and reportedly preparing for a last stand against the advancing government troops.[178]

On 9 April, the Army entered the area of Rankus with heavy fighting subsequently erupting and a military source eventually reporting the military had captured the town.[179] The SOHR also later confirmed government forces had captured Rankus, stating that as they entered the town there were no rebel forces a Rankus after a truce was reached a couple of days earlier between some of the town's residents and the government, which is why the residents demanded the rebels to leave the town.[180] 140 rebels were reportedly killed during the battle for the town including an Iraqi al-Nusra commander, Abu Talha al-Baghdadi.[181] Clashes continued on the edges of Rankus.[182]

On 13 April, state television claimed the Army captured a string of hills overlooking Rankus.[183]

On 14 April, the Army captured Al-Sarkha and recaptured Maaloula.[184] Three Lebanese journalists from the pro-Hezbollah Al-Manar TV were killed during the fighting in Maaloula. Four soldiers also died as they tried to rescue the Al-Manar TV team.[185] The Army had also secured the villages of Jibbeh and Jbaadin.[186][187]

On 15 April, the military captured Assal al-Ward after rebels surrendered[188] or retreated.[189] The Army then continued on and captured Hawsh Arab that night.[190][191] During the day, government troops were still fighting pockets of rebel resistance at a mosque in Maaloula.[11]

On 20 April, President Bashar al-Assad visited Maaloula for the Easter holiday.[192]

On 26 April, rebels in Zabadani surrendered and the Army captured the town, thus taking the last rebel stronghold in the Qalamoun region and on the Lebanese border.[193]

Aftermath

[edit]
See also: Qalamoun offensive (June–August 2014)

In late June 2014, following hit-and-run attacks by remnant rebel forces in the mountains, the Syrian Army and Hezbollah launched an offensive to clear the area of all remaining rebels. The situation escalated in early August when rebels came into direct conflict with the Lebanese military as well on the Lebanese side of the border in the town of Arsal.

On 19 August, a senior figure in the Islamic State, who had organised car and suicide bombings across Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, was killed. Some reports said that he was killed when a bomb, attached to his car, was detonated which was by Hezbollah Fighters. There were also several other reports that said that he was killed by the Syrian Army in the Qalamoun region.[194][195][196]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "ISIS joins other rebels to thwart Syria regime push near Lebanon". McClatchy. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  2. ^ "On the march with Assad's army in Yabroud, Syria". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  3. ^ "The details of the assassination of deputy leader Al- Nusra and front commander". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Freeing the nuns: Qatar's continuing influence". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Jubhat al-Nusra's number two commander of Qalamoun has been killed". AJE Live Events. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Al-Nusra leader appoints Salafi sheikh to head Lebanon branch". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  7. ^ Abu Ayman al-Iraq storify.com [dead link]
  8. ^ a b c "Martyrdom junta chief in Kalamoon". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  9. ^ Syrian troops besiege strategic town amid fierce fights Xinhua, 18 November 2013
  10. ^ "Regime forces inch closer to Aleppo". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Syria fighting leaves Maaloula, a historic Christian town, in ruins". Los Angeles Times. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  12. ^ Bahaa, Jafra. "Shiite militia massacre in Nabek... Rape, killing and burning". Al Arabiya. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
  13. ^ a b Stephen Starr (9 July 2014). "Christian militias lend muscle to Syrian regime in ongoing battle against rebels". Irish Times. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  14. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (14 December 2016). "Usud Al-Cherubim: A Pro-Assad Christian Militia". Syria Comment. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  15. ^ "На штурм Ябруд брошены 10 000 солдат и 200 танков". 16 February 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Сирия. На штурм Ябруд брошены 10 000 солдат и 200 танков". Рамблер-Новости. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  17. ^ "Hezbollah deploys 15,000 troops for anticipated Qalamoun battle". Al Arabiya. 31 October 2013.
  18. ^ "Slow drip offensive underway in Qalamoun". The Daily Star. Lebanon. 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  19. ^ a b c d "Opposition struggles to overcome Yabroud loss". The Daily Star (Lebanon). Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  20. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20140309181323/http://www.syriahr.com/index.php?option=com_news&nid=16304&Itemid=2&task=displaynews [1]
  21. ^ a b "Syria army secures Damascus-Homs highway". 9 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  22. ^ a b "Fighting rages inside key Syria rebel bastion". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  23. ^ a b "Fierce Syria clashes spark exodus to Lebanon". Al Jazeera.
  24. ^ "Syria air force bombards town near Lebanon: monitor". Hürriyet Daily News. 17 November 2013.
  25. ^ "Thousands of Syrians from Qalamoun flee to Lebanon". The Daily Star. Lebanon. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Blast near Damascus kills 31 troops: monitor". The Daily Star. 17 November 2013. Archived from the original on 11 February 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  27. ^ a b "Syrian army launches offensive near Lebanon border". Thonline.com. 17 November 2013.
  28. ^ "ISIS joins other rebels to thwart Syria regime push near Lebanon". miamiherald. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  29. ^ "Syrian army launches offensive near Lebanon border". Mininggazette.com. Associated Press. 16 November 2013. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013.
  30. ^ "Syria air force bombards town near Lebanon". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  31. ^ Ryan Lucas, Associated Press. "Assad gaining ground in Syrian civil war". Philadelphia Daily News. Archived from the original on 18 November 2013.
  32. ^ "Syrian Army Fights for Road Needed to Remove Chemical Weapons". Voice of America. Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  33. ^ "Syrian army fights for road needed to remove chemical weapons". Reuters. 16 November 2013. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  34. ^ "Syria's Qalamoun offensive forces thousands to flee to Lebanon". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Associated Press. 17 November 2013.
  35. ^ "More fighting near Lebanese border, Syrian regime launches new airstrikes". Albawaba.com. 29 October 2013.
  36. ^ Liz Sly (17 November 2013). "Syria fighting in Qalamoun triggers new exodus of refugees to Lebanon". The Washington Post.
  37. ^ "Syrian army besieges town in strategic Qalamoun mountains". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  38. ^ "Syria air force bombards town near Lebanon: monitor". Online News Portal. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  39. ^ "Syrian troops recapture key positions in northern Damascus' town". Xinhua News Agency. 18 November 2013. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  40. ^ "Damascus Countryside". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  41. ^ Yacoub, Khaled (18 November 2013). "Syria rebel chieftain killed; Assad forces bomb besieged town". Reuters. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  42. ^ + val.created_at +. "Syria rebel chieftain killed; Bashar Assad forces bomb besieged town". Ndtv.com.
  43. ^ "Syrian media claims troops capture key town". The Daily Star. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  44. ^ Holmes, Oliver (19 November 2013). "Syrian army takes town along north-south highway: state media". Reuters. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  45. ^ "Syria troops seize Qara village near Lebanon border". NOW. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  46. ^ "Fuel crisis in Damascus as fighting blocks key highway". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  47. ^ ABC News. "Suicide Bombs Hit Syria Troops North of Damascus". ABC News. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  48. ^ "Suicide bombers hit Syria troops near Lebanon: Monitor, SANA". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  49. ^ "Regular forces regain control of the monastery gift". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  50. ^ "Syria rebels take key town from army". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  51. ^ "Syria rebels press advance around Damascus and Aleppo". Your Middle East. 25 November 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  52. ^ "Assad forces recapture Christian town". PanARMENIAN.Net. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  53. ^ Syria opposition, regime reject compromise ahead of talks Archived 29 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  54. ^ Syrian troops capture town near Lebanon border Archived 3 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  55. ^ "Nephew of a top Hezbollah official killed in Syria". Ya Libnan. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  56. ^ a b "Rebels retake Christian town of Maaloula". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  57. ^ Syrian troops capture western town Archived 9 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  58. ^ Syrian forces 'retake Deir Attiyeh' Archived 26 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  59. ^ a b "Syria army retakes Deir Attiyeh town near Damascus: TV". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  60. ^ "Syrian troops capture key town". TribLIVE.com. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  61. ^ "Syria army presses advance near Damascus". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  62. ^ "Friday 29 November 2013". 30 November 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  63. ^ a b c "Syrian rebels enter Christian village near capital". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  64. ^ a b c "Syrian rebels re-enter historic town of Maaloula: activists". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  65. ^ "Activists: New Syrian strike near Aleppo kills 11". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  66. ^ "20 killed in second day of air raids on Syria's Al-Bab". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  67. ^ "Syria Rebels Advance in Maalula, Send 'Tire Bombs' Burtling Down on Army". Naharnet. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  68. ^ "Islamists take Syrian Christian town, monastery: State media". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  69. ^ Islamists Take Syrian Christian Town, Monastery: State Media
  70. ^ "Islamists take Syrian Christian town, monastery: state media". Reuters. 2 December 2013. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  71. ^ "Monday 2 December 2013". 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  72. ^ "Syrian patriarch urges release of abducted nuns". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  73. ^ Syrian nuns taken by rebels appear in video Archived 16 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  74. ^ Independent Newspapers Online. "Deadly suicide bomb hits Damascus". Independent Online. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  75. ^ Islamists 'seize Free Syrian Army arms depots' Archived 27 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  76. ^ "Syrian Observatory For Human Rights - Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  77. ^ "New massacre by Syrian regime in Nabk". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  78. ^ "Syria regime forces advance in Lebanon border region". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  79. ^ "Syrian troops seize control of strategic highway". Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  80. ^ a b "Syrian army captures town near key highway". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  81. ^ a b ABC News. "Syrian Army Captures Town Near Key Highway". ABC News. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  82. ^ Holmes, Oliver (9 December 2013). "Syrian army retakes road needed to ship out chemical arms". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  83. ^ "Syria Army Piles Pressure on Rebel-held Yabrud". Naharnet. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  84. ^ Activists: Syrian army pounds rebels near Lebanon Archived 14 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  85. ^ "Syrian troops to storm Yabroud 'within hours': report". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  86. ^ "Hezbollah ambush kills 32 Islamist fighters in e. Lebanon". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  87. ^ "Scores of rebels killed in Syrian government ambush - monitor". Reuters. 27 December 2013. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  88. ^ "Syrian Observatory For Human Rights - Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  89. ^ "Syrian troops ambush and kill dozens of rebels". Global News. 27 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  90. ^ "Friday 27 December 2013". 28 December 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  91. ^ "Islamist rebels reject 'hollow' Syria peace talks". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  92. ^ "January: Syrian Army Victories Daily Updates". SYRIA 360°. January 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  93. ^ "Syrian army preparing to fight in Yabroud". 30 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  94. ^ Nicholas Blanford (23 February 2014). "Assad offensive near Homs sends Syrians fleeing to Lebanon". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  95. ^ "Syria warplanes hit Yabrud near Damascus: activists". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  96. ^ Syrian army starts crucial battle against rebels
  97. ^ Nicholas Blanford (13 March 2014). "Fighting for Assad, Hezbollah buries its own". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  98. ^ "Hezbollah faces swelling battle in Syrian mountains". UPI. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  99. ^ Mona Alami, Special for USA TODAY (26 February 2014). "Hezbollah takes lead in pounding Syrian rebels". USA Today. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  100. ^ "Regime forces inch closer to Aleppo". The Daily Star. 26 February 2014.
  101. ^ "Syrian army readies ground assault on Yabrud: Report". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  102. ^ "Hezbollah is losing in Yabroud". NOW News. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  103. ^ "Syrian army gains control over strategic area near capital". Al Alam. 3 March 2014.
  104. ^ Syrian army 'captures village near Yabrud' Archived 13 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  105. ^ "Fighting continues in Yabroud and Aleppo". Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  106. ^ a b c Makdesi, Firas (4 March 2014). "Syrian forces press assault on strategic town near Lebanon". Reuters. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  107. ^ a b Aji, Albert (4 March 2014). "Syrian army advancing on rebel town near Lebanon". AP News. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  108. ^ "Car bomb provider killed in Yabroud, Syria". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 5 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  109. ^ "Air strikes near Syria rebel bastion Yabrud". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  110. ^ "Syria: Army advancing on rebel town near Lebanon". Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  111. ^ "Syrian Army Choppers Join Yabroud Battle". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  112. ^ "Syria troops take a short breather ahead of Yabrud siege". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  113. ^ a b Syrian army advances amid new wave of explosions Archived 10 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  114. ^ "Raids and martyrs in Damascus Suburbs". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  115. ^ a b c "Car bombs hit Homs and Hama, fighting rages near Yabroud". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  116. ^ "Syrian Army Firmly Controls Rima Farms, Besieges Yabroud in Qalamoun". Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  117. ^ "Syrian warplanes pound key rebel area". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  118. ^ "Air raids on Yabrood and 17 battalions of the martyr Islamic Fighting". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  119. ^ "More than 270 were killed yesterday, including 211 from the regular forces and combat battalions". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  120. ^ Syria army captures town in strategic Homs province[dead link]
  121. ^ "Nuns held in Syria have been freed: Sources". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  122. ^ "Rebels say 120 Hezbollah troops killed in key Syria battle". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  123. ^ Karouny, Mariam; Kalin, Stephen; Coles, Isabel. Williams, Alison (ed.). "Syrian forces advance to edge of rebel border town". Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  124. ^ "Raids, Clashes, and human losses in Reef Dimashq". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  125. ^ "Assad Re-captures Yabroud and Lebanon Takes a Plunge". 18 March 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  126. ^ Dziadosz, Alexander (14 March 2014). "Al Qaeda splinter group in Syria leaves two provinces - activists". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  127. ^ a b c New Tang Dynasty Television. "Syria Army In Hot Pursuit Of Rebels On Lebanon Border". New Tang Dynasty Television. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  128. ^ a b c d e "Fighting rages at doorstep of key Syria rebel bastion". AFP. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  129. ^ a b c Syrian forces enter rebel bastion of Yabrud[dead link]
  130. ^ Syria conflict has 3rd anniversary amid offensive Archived 16 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  131. ^ "Syria army advances on rebel town". MSN. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  132. ^ "Director of the Syrian Observatory denies the control of the Syrian army regulars Yabrood". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  133. ^ a b "Syrian army captures strategic border town". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  134. ^ Syria army recaptures rebel bastion Yabrud Archived 21 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  135. ^ "Syria says army and Hezbollah have seized border town". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  136. ^ a b "Syria in Last 24 Hours: Army Kills over 500 Militants in Yabroud". Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  137. ^ "Syrian forces fully control rebel stronghold near Lebanon". Reuters. 16 March 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  138. ^ "Syria says government forces seize key rebel town near Lebanon border". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  139. ^ "Syria army captures rebel stronghold of Yabroud". The Irish Times. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  140. ^ Ziad Fadel (16 March 2014). "COMPLETE VICTORY IN YABROOD; OVER ONE THOUSAND RAT TERRORISTS KILLED; REMNANT RODENTS RUSH TO RANKOOS TO DIE". Syrian Perspective. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  141. ^ "Syrian army claims control of rebel town Yabrud". 16 March 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  142. ^ "Assad forces, allies seize Yabroud". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  143. ^ ABC News. "Syrian Army Ousts Rebels From Border Stronghold". ABC News. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  144. ^ "Syria News Desk -". Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  145. ^ "Syria Rebels Lick their Wounds in Arsal". Naharnet. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  146. ^ Lebanon sends army to Syria border as rebels flee
  147. ^ "Lebanese Army detains 15 Syrian gunmen". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  148. ^ "Syrian forces capture rebel stronghold". Reuters. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  149. ^ "Car bomb kills six in Syria's Homs: NGO". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  150. ^ إدارة التحرير. "Syrian source: the army launched the third phase of its operations in Kalamoon". alhadathnews. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  151. ^ "Is Qalamoun battle over? Hezbollah will be standing on over 18000 sqm2". Elijah J M - ايليا ج مغناير. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  152. ^ "After Yabrud capture, Syria army advances west". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  153. ^ "Syria troops advance after seizing rebel stronghold". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  154. ^ "Syrian army and Hezbollah advance west after Yabroud". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  155. ^ "Progress of Hezbollah in Kalamoon". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  156. ^ Syrian Troops Capture Village Near Lebanon Border Archived 19 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  157. ^ "Syrian Army Seizes Bomb-Laden Cars in Yabrud Carrying Lebanese License Plates". Naharnet. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  158. ^ "Syria Army Fighting for Control of Krak Fort". Naharnet. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  159. ^ "Syria army seizes Qalamoun village near Lebanon". 19 March 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  160. ^ "Syria News Desk -". Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  161. ^ Ziad Fadel (19 March 2014). "COMMUNIQUE OF SAA HIGH COMMAND". Syrian Perspective. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  162. ^ Ziad Fadel (21 March 2014). "RANKOOS RAT-FREE;". Syrian Perspective. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  163. ^ "Hezbollah ambush kills three bomb experts in Qalamoun". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  164. ^ "Syrian Army, Hezbollah advance on Flita". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  165. ^ "Syrians rally in support of rebels' coastal offensive". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  166. ^ "Syrian troops capture 2 villages near the border with Lebanon, activists and state TV say". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  167. ^ "Syrian army takes two villages near Lebanon: report". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  168. ^ "colonel killed in Qalamoun". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  169. ^ "Violence flares around Damascus". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  170. ^ "Violent clashes in Kalamoon". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  171. ^ "Syrian Army Breaks Militants' 1st Line of Defense in Rankus". Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  172. ^ "Rebels claim gains in Aleppo and Qunaitra". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  173. ^ "Shelling and clashes in Daraa and Damascus Countryside". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  174. ^ "The Arab Chronicle". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  175. ^ "Clashes and the death of 6 fighters in Damascus Suburbs". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  176. ^ "Syrian army steps up battle for Rankous". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  177. ^ "Military Source: Militants in Rankus Decide to Surrender to Gov't Troops". Archived from the original on 25 October 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  178. ^ Nicholas Blanford (8 April 2014). "Town by town, Assad regime retakes southwestern Syria". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  179. ^ "Syria army seizes rebel town of Rankus". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  180. ^ "Regular forces and the Lebanese Hezbollah dominate Rankous". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  181. ^ "Syrian army recaptures town near Damascus". Archived from the original on 12 April 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  182. ^ "Assad's forces advance into rebel border town". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  183. ^ "13 dead as Syria planes hit rebel bastions near Damascus". GlobalPost. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  184. ^ "Syrian forces take 2 villages near Lebanese border". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  185. ^ 3 journalists for Hezbollah TV killed in Syria
  186. ^ "Syrian forces take 3 villages near Lebanese border". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  187. ^ "Syrian army entered the "Mlvla" was". Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  188. ^ "Syrian army retakes Qalamoun village". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. 15 April 2014. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  189. ^ "Syrian army controls the Assal roses and a stampede of gunmen". Mulhak News. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  190. ^ "Army: Jordan air force strikes cars near Syria". Washington Examiner. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  191. ^ "Activists: Syrian airstrikes kill 4 in rebel town". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  192. ^ Makdesi, Firas (20 April 2014). "Syria's Assad pays Easter visit to recaptured Christian town". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  193. ^ "Syria rebels surrender in border town". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  194. ^ "Hezbollah kills Islamic State leader in Qalamoun". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  195. ^ "Hezbollah kills suicide bombing plotter: activists". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  196. ^ "ISIL commander 'Abu Abdullah al-Iraqi' killed in Syrian army operation: report". 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Qalamoun_(2013–2014)&oldid=1245388023"