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Northwestern Syria offensive (2024)

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Northwestern Syria offensive (2024)
Part of the Syrian civil war

Map of offensive in northwestern Syria
  Controlled by the Syrian Arab Republic
  Controlled by the Syrian opposition
  Controlled by both Syrian Arab Republic and Syrian Democratic Forces
Date27 November 2024 – present
(1 day)
Location
Aleppo and Idlib Governorates, Syria
Status Ongoing
Territorial
changes		 Syrian opposition forces capture 40 towns and villages and a military base[5] and cut off the strategic M5 highway[6]
Belligerents

 Syrian opposition

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

 Russia[2][3]

 Iran

Commanders and leaders
Abu Mohammad al-Julani Syria Bashar al-Assad
Iran Brig. Gen. Kioumars Pourhashemi †
Casualties and losses
Syrian opposition 126 killed[a] SyriaIran 61 killed, 14 captured[b]
Syria 5 tanks captured[9]
Russia 1+ killed[10]
20 civilians killed[11][12]

On 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive against the pro-government Syrian Arab Army (SAA) forces in Aleppo and Idlib Governorates in Syria. The offensive was called Deterrence of Aggression by HTS and launched in retaliation for the increased SAA shelling of civilians in the Western Aleppo countryside.[13] The offensive is the first time opposition forces launched an attack since the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire.[14][15][16]

Background

Main article: Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024)

Since the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire agreement, large scale operations ceased between opposition and pro-government forces in Northwestern Syria. Starting in late 2022, HTS forces launched a series of infiltration and sniper attacks on government forces, leading up to the offensive. Aleppo has been controlled by Bashar al-Assad's government and Iranian-backed militias since the Aleppo offensive in 2016.[5]

Hezbollah, which was a major ally of the Syrian government during the civil war was severely weakened during its conflict with Israel. The deaths of Hassan Nasrallah and many of its leaders, combined with the redeployment of Hezbollah fighters in Syria back to Lebanon, left a large power vacuum. With the Russian military concentrating on its invasion of Ukraine and Iran under significant pressure, it provided an opportunity for rebel groups to launch an offensive.[5]

In October 2024, a large mobilization by HTS and government forces was initiated in the Aleppo countryside, as HTS had reportedly escalated its preparations for a large-scale offensive against government forces within the city of Aleppo. On 26 November 2024, government forces artillery struck the opposition held town of Ariha, killing and injuring 16 people.[13]

Offensive

On 27 November 2024, HTS announced that it had launched an offensive dubbed Deterrence of Aggression towards pro-government forces in western Aleppo Governorate.[17] The Syrian opposition claimed that the offensive was a response to recent artillery shelling by the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad against rebel-held Idlib, which killed at least 30 civilians.[15][5]

During the first 10 hours of the offensive, HTS captured 20 towns and villages from pro-government forces, including the towns of Urm al-Kubra, Anjara, Urm al-Sughra, Sheikh Aqil, Bala, Ajil, Awijil, al-Hawtah, Tal al-Dabaa, Hayr Darkal, Qubtan al-Jabal, al-Saloum, al-Qasimiyah, Kafr Bisin, Hawr, Aznaz and Basratoun. In addition, the 46th regiment base of government forces was besieged by the HTS and captured a few hours later.[2][1] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 37 Syrian government soldiers and allied militias and 60 fighters from the opposition forces were killed in the clashes.[15] A Russian special forces unit was ambushed by rebels, who later posted photos of a dead Russian soldier and captured equipment. The number of casualties remains unclear.[10] In response, Syrian and Russian forces launched aerial assaults on areas controlled by rebel groups.[18][19] Russian fighters also conducted airstrikes around Atarib, Darat Izza, and surrounding villages, while government forces shelled rebel controlled Idlib, Ariha, Sarmada and other areas in southern Idlib province.[20][21][22]

On 28 November, HTS launched an offensive on the eastern Idlib countryside, capturing the villages of Dadikh, Kafr Batikh and Sheikh Ali as well as a neighborhood in the city of Saraqib. This advance brought them within 2 kilometers of the M5 highway, a strategic route that had been secured by pro-government forces in 2020. HTS also attacked al-Nayrab's airport located east of Aleppo, where Iranian-backed militants have a presence.[23] In the latter half of the day, HTS captured the villages Kafr Basin, Arnaz and Al-Zarba in the western Aleppo countryside, and cut off the M5 highway.[6] The Syrian rebels have captured around 40 towns and villages in total by the end of the day.[5]

A Russian airstrike killed fifteen civilians in Atarib in the western Aleppo countryside. A further four others were killed in either a Syrian or Russian airstrike in Darat Izza.[12] Iranian state media reported that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Kioumars Pourhashemi, who served as a senior military advisor in Syria, was killed by rebels in Aleppo.[5]

Casualties

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 65 members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham were killed, along with 18 from allied armed groups, while 49 Syrian soldiers loyal to the government were killed.[23]

Reactions

The Syrian Army described the offensive as "a huge and large-scale terrorist attack" in which "large numbers of terrorists using medium and heavy weapons" targeted villages, towns, and military sites.[23]

Hassan Abdelghani, spokesperson for the Syrian rebel coalition, stated that the targets of the operation are are Assad's forces and Iranian militias, whom he accused of bringing "devastation, death, and killing to the region" while "exploiting Arab and Muslim populations" to push their "sabotaging plans" under "the guise of resistance".[5]

Analysis

According to various analysts, the Syrian rebels are taking advantage of the vacuum left by the weakening of Hezbollah, pressure on Iran, and preoccupation of Russia with its war on Ukraine, all of whom supported and helped keep Bashar al-Assad in power throughout the Syrian civil war. Analysts pointed to the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah and several other Hezbollah leaders, as well as the fact that Hezbollah withdrew its troops from Syria to fight against Israel in Lebanon.[5]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ 106 from HTS, and 20 from SNA factions.[7]
  2. ^ 61 killed, including:[7]
    • 40 Syrian soldiers
    • 6 pro-Iranian militiamen
    • 1 Iranian soldier[8]
    • 14 other unidentified fighters

References

  1. ^ a b c d "In parallel with the continuation of the "Deterrence of Aggression" operation: More than 30 airstrikes and the killing of about 100 members of the regime forces, the Authority and the factions in the Aleppo countryside" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Weeks after the Syrian Observatory published the preparations... "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" attacks the Aleppo countryside in the "Response to Aggression" operation" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Coinciding with the Authority's attack on the regime forces' positions in the Aleppo countryside... a squadron of Russian aircraft flies in the "Putin-Erdogan" airspace" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  4. ^ "IRGC commander killed by rebels in Aleppo amid clashes". Rudaw. 28 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Salem, Mostafa (2024-11-28). "Syria's rebels exploit weaknesses in Iran's proxies to launch surprise offensive". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  6. ^ a b ""The Authority" cuts off the "M5" road... and the death toll in the "Deterrence of Aggression" operation rises to 182 elements" (in Arabic). SOHR. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b "The regime's combat forces are sending military reinforcements to repel the attack on Aleppo.. and the death toll in the "Deterrence of Aggression" operation rises to 186" (in Arabic). SOHR. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  8. ^ "IRGC commander killed by rebels in Aleppo amid clashes". Rudaw. 28 November 2024.
  9. ^ Syrian opposition fighters advance rapidly, reach Aleppo outskirts
  10. ^ a b "Russian elite forces suffer losses in Syrian rebel attack". defence-blog.com. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  11. ^ Dea*th toll update | More than 30 airstrikes and nearly 100 members kil*led during “Blocking Aggression” Operation in Aleppo
  12. ^ a b "Committing new massacre in Al-Atareb | Russian and regime fighter jets execute nearly 60 airstrikes in Idlib and Aleppo countryside". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 28 November 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Most of them are children.. 16 citizens were killed and injured in regime forces' shelling of the city of Ariha" (in Arabic). Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Syrian rebels launch surprise offensive in northwest as regime retaliates with airstrikes". The New Arab. 27 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Kourdi, Eyad; Edwards, Christian (2024-11-27). "Syrian rebels launch major attack on regime forces in Aleppo province". CNN. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  16. ^ "Dea*th toll update | More than 30 airstrikes and nearly 100 members kil*led during "Blocking Aggression" Operation in Aleppo". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 27 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Syrian opposition launches "Deterrence of Aggression" operation in the north of the country" (in Arabic). Al Jazeera Arabic. 27 November 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Syrian rebels launch major offensive". defence-blog.com. 2024-11-27. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  19. ^ "Syrian rebels launch surprise offensive in northwest as regime retaliates with airstrikes". The New Arab. 27 November 2024.
  20. ^ Staff, The Media Line (2024-11-27). "Opposition Forces Capture Key Villages Near Aleppo, Assad's Army Retaliates". The Media Line. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  21. ^ Al-Khalidi, Suleiman. "Syrian rebels launch attack against army in Aleppo province". Reuters.
  22. ^ "Syrian rebels launch attack against army in Aleppo province". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
  23. ^ a b c "Dozens killed as armed groups attack Syrian military in northern Aleppo". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
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