Deir ez-Zor offensive (2016)

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Deir ez-Zor offensive (2016)
Part of the Battle of Deir ez-Zor and the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war
Deir ez-Zor clashes (January 2016).svg
The situation in Deir ez-Zor as of 19 January 2016
   Syrian Arab Army control
   Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant control
Date16–21 January 2016
(5 days)
Location
Deir ez-Zor, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria
35°20′00″N40°09′00″E / 35.3333°N 40.1500°E / 35.3333; 40.1500
Result ISIL victory
Territorial
changes
  • ISIL captures the northern suburbs of Deir Ez-zor city including Al-Bughayliyah, Ayyash [1] and the Al Mari'iyah Farms [2]
Belligerents
Flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.svg Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Flag of Syria.svg Syrian Arab Republic

Flag of Russia.svg Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (obverse).svg Russian Armed Forces

Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.svg Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.svg Abu Hamza Al-Ansari
  † (ISIL Deir ez-Zor emir) [4]
Flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.svg Abu Hadhefah Al-Maghrabi   † [5]
(ISIL field commander)		 Flag of Syria.svg Lt. General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub
Flag of Syria.svg Maj. Gen. Issam Zahreddine [6]
(Republican Guard commander)
Flag of Syria.svg Brig. Gen. Yassin Mahmoud Hamoud   †
Flag of Syria.svg Yarob Zahreddine (Commander in 104th Airborne Brigade)
Flag of Syria.svg Brig. Gen. Yasar Ali  † [7]
Units involved

Syrian Republican Guard SSI.svg Republican Guard:

  • 104th Airborne Brigade [3]

Flag of the Syrian Arab Army.svg 17th Reserve Division:

  • 137th Mechanized Brigade
Strength
Up to 2,000[ citation needed ] 4,000 [8]
Casualties and losses
110+ killed [3] [9] 200 killed (48 executed) [9]
127–300 civilians killed, ≈400 civilians kidnapped [10] [9]

The Deir ez-Zor offensive (2016) was an ISIL military operation, during which it took over the northern suburbs of Deir ez-Zor on 16 January 2016, and killed from 135 to 300 people, while also kidnapping about 400 others. [11]

Contents

Background

In 2011, the Syrian Civil War began after an uprising against president Bashar al-Assad. The rebels took over Deir ez-Zor governorate except for about half of Deir ez-Zor city which stayed in the hands of the government. However, in 2014 the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) took over all the areas formerly held by the rebels. Since that time, ISIL have tried repeatedly to take over the remaining part of Deir ez-Zor city.

The offensive

Initial assault and massacre

On 16 January 2016, ISIL militants launched an attack on Deir ez-Zor. In the initial fighting, at least 35 Syrian Arab Army soldiers and allied militia fighters were killed. The group used "six suicide bombers first and they tried to break into military positions but they failed," according to the government. The British-based SOHR added that the group "carried out several assaults" during the day. [12]

After parts of the city were overrun by ISIL,[ citation needed ] pro-government fighters and their families were among those attacked in the neighborhoods of Baghiliya and Ayyash. The Syrian government and state media said that 250 [13] -300 [14] people were killed, including some by beheading; [13] the SOHR had differing numbers, reporting 135 fatalities, [14] of which 85 were civilians and 50 soldiers. [15] ISIL also captured an army weapons depot and seized tanks. [13] SOHR added that ISIL kidnapped about 400 civilians from families of pro-government fighters. "There is genuine fear for their lives, there is a fear that the group might execute them as it has done before in other areas." [16] "Abu Hamza Al-Ansari”, a top ISIL commander in the province, was killed during an ISIS offensive on Ayyash and Al-Bughayliyah by the 104th Airborne Brigade. [4]

ISIL forces continued to advance on areas held by the Syrian Government north west of Deir ez-Zor City, taking areas south and west of Baghiliya. [16]

Attempted counterattack

Counter-strikes by Russian Air Force fighter jets, in support of Syrian army forces, were reported [14] to take back the areas. Around 60 ISIL fighters were killed in airstrikes, according to the Russian defense ministry.[ citation needed ]

On 19 January, ISIL launched a new offensive against government territory, taking advantage of a dust storm that all but grounded Russian warplanes. [17] Over 80 ISIS fighters were killed while battling government forces in the Al-Baghayliyah District. 75-82 government soldiers (11 of them from the NDF) and 12 pro-government Shaytat tribesmen also died. [3] On the next day, a pro-government source claimed government forces recaptured the Saiqa Camp, the Tal Kroum hilltop and the Ayyash weapons depot. [18] However, subsequent reports confirmed they were still ISIL-held. [19] [20] Later on 20 January, the Al-Baghaliyeh district also fell to ISIL [17] and the jihadists took the Missile Battalion Base, south of Deir Ezzor, [21] and the Al Mari'iyah farms. [2] Earlier in the day, a Russian air force operation delivered 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid to civilians in Al-Baghaliyeh. [22] The advances left ISIL in control of at least 60% of Deir ez-Zor city. At this time, ISIL released 270 of the 400 civilians kidnapped over the weekend. [17] [22]

On 21 January, the Syrian army launched an offensive against the Baghiliya district, [23] with 11 soldiers being killed. [24]

Aftermath

On 22 January, Russian airstrikes killed 44 in ISIL-controlled Tala'a district [25] and the following day, further airstrikes killed 63 in Khasham. [25]

On 26 January, six civilians were killed by a mortar round and a Syrian Arab Army Brigade General was killed.[ citation needed ]

On 28 January, ISIL launched an offensive against Al-Baghayliyah District in order to seize the Al-Rawad Hill, Al-Jazeera University, and Firat Al-Sham Hotel. The attack was cut short by Syrian and Russian Air Force airstrikes.[ citation needed ] On 30 January, ISIL launched an attack along the Cinema Fouad Street inside the Al-Rashidiyah District and against the Al-Haweeqa District.[ citation needed ]

On 11 March, the Syrian Arab Army's Central Command announced their intention to lift ISIS's siege of Deir ez-Zor by capturing Palmyra and the Palmyra-Deir ez-Zor highway. [8]

On 18 May, the Syrian Army claimed that over 200 ISIS militants had been killed after a government assault in the western district of the besieged city. However, this number is disputed by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights who give a more conservative estimate of 50 ISIS militants killed. [26]

Casualties

Syrian Arab Army casualties were 200 killed, of whom 48 were executed by ISIL. 110 ISIL fighters had also died, including 30 suicide bombers. [27]

Reactions

An unnamed branch of the Syrian government condemned the "horrific massacre against the residents of Baghiliya in Deir al-Zor". [28]

See also

Related Research Articles

Deir ez-Zor Airport is an airport serving Deir ez-Zor, a city in northeastern Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deir ez-Zor clashes (2011–2014)</span> Conflict during the Syrian Civil War

Protests against the Syrian government and violence had been ongoing in the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor since March 2011, as part of the wider Syrian Civil War, but large-scale clashes started following a military operation in late July 2011 to secure the city of Deir ez-Zor. The rebels took over most of the province by late 2013, leaving only small pockets of government control around the city of Deir ez-Zor.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war from August to December 2014. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

The Deir ez-Zor offensive was executed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS, against all other opposition forces in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate as part of the Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War.

The Deir ez-Zor offensive was a military operation launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on the Deir ez-Zor air base and the surrounding areas.

The September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid was a series of 37 U.S.-led Coalition airstrikes near the Deir ez-Zor Airport in eastern Syria on 17 September 2016, lasting from 3:55 p.m. to 4:56 p.m. Damascus time in which Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers were killed conducting operations against the Islamic State. Russia reported that at least 62 SAA soldiers were killed, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least 80 were killed and 120 wounded. The United States said that the intended target was Islamic State militants and that the attack on Syrian soldiers was due to a misidentification of ground forces while the Syrian and Russian governments claimed that it was an intentional attack against Syrian troops. The attack triggered "a diplomatic firestorm" with Russia calling an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting. Later, the Syrian government called off a ceasefire that had been the result of months of intense diplomatic efforts by the U.S. and Russian governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deir ez-Zor offensive (January–February 2017)</span> Military operation

The Deir ez-Zor offensive was a military operation launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) against the Syrian Armed Forces, to capture the city of Deir ez-Zor, on 14 January 2017. The offensive came amid the group losing large amounts of territory in the Raqqa offensive as well as the Turkish military intervention in Syria, while Iraqi forces were advancing in its Iraq headquarters in Mosul. It ended with the city being split into two parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Deir ez-Zor (2014–2017)</span> Siege in the Syrian Civil War

The siege of Deir ez-Zor was a large-scale siege imposed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) against several districts in the city of Deir ez-Zor held by the Syrian Army, in an attempt to capture the city and secure full control of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The ISIL siege of the city lasted for almost 3 years and 2 months, after which the Syrian Army launched a successful offensive that fully recaptured the city nine weeks later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Syria campaign</span> Military operation of the Syrian Army

The Central Syria campaign, known as "Operation Khuzam", or "Lavender", was a large-scale military operation of the Syrian Army (SAA) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) during the Syrian Civil War. Its goal was to capture the strategic oil town of Al-Sukhnah, and besiege and capture 11,000 square kilometers of ISIL territory in central Syria, after which the Syrian Army would advance towards Deir ez-Zor, and lift the three-year ISIL siege of the government's enclave in the city. Afterwards, the Syrian Army advanced towards the Islamic State's then-capital of Mayadin.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian Civil War from September to December 2017. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found at Casualties of the Syrian Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deir ez-Zor campaign (2017–2019)</span> Military operation by Syrian Democratic Forces during the Syrian Civil War

The Deir ez-Zor campaign, codenamed the al-Jazeera Storm campaign, was a military operation launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria's Deir ez-Zor Governorate in 2017 during the Syrian Civil War with the goal of capturing territory in eastern Syria, particularly east and north of the Euphrates river. The U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) anti-ISIL coalition provided extensive air support while SDF personnel composed the majority of the ground forces; OIR special forces and artillery units were also involved in the campaign.

The 2017 Euphrates Crossing offensive was a military offensive launched by the Syrian Arab Army against members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, following the breaking of the three-year siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor. The Euphrates Crossing offensive, conducted by government troops, was done with the aim of denying US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and the US itself leverage over the Syrian government.

The 2017 Mayadin offensive was a military offensive launched by the Syrian Arab Army against members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate, following the breaking of the three-year siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor. The Mayadin offensive, conducted by Syrian Army troops, was conducted with the aim of capturing ISIL's new de facto capital of Mayadin, and securing the villages and towns around it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deir ez-Zor offensive (September–November 2017)</span> Military operation launched by the Syrian Armed Forces

The Deir ez-Zor offensive was a military operation launched by the Syrian Armed Forces to completely expel the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from the city of Deir ez-Zor, a provincial capital, located on the banks of the Euphrates river. From 2014 until 2017, the city had been divided into Syrian government and ISIL-controlled halves. The rest of the Governorate (province) was under ISIL control for most of this time, putting the government-controlled half of the city under siege.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Abu Kamal offensive</span> Military offensive

The 2017 Abu Kamal offensive, codenamed Operation Fajr-3, was a military offensive launched by the Syrian Arab Army and its allies against members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The aim of the offensive was to capture ISIL's last urban stronghold in Syria, the border town of Abu Kamal. This offensive was a part of the larger Eastern Syria campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Syria campaign (September–December 2017)</span> Military operation

The Eastern Syria campaign of September–December 2017 was a large-scale military operation of the Syrian Army (SAA) and its allies against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) during the Syrian Civil War. Its goal was to clear the city of Deir ez-Zor of any remaining ISIL forces, capture ISIL's de facto capital of Mayadin, as well as seize the border town of Abu Kamal, which became one of ISIL's final urban strongholds by the latter stages of the campaign.

The Deir ez-Zor offensive (2018) was launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant against government-held areas throughout the Deir ez-Zor Governorate of Eastern Syria. During the offensive, on 8 June, ISIL managed to penetrate the city of Abu Kamal, capturing several parts of it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Syria insurgency</span> Armed insurgency

The Eastern Syria insurgency is an armed insurgency being waged by remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and both pro and anti-Syrian government Arab nationalist insurgents, against the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), its military, and their allies in the US-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF–OIR) coalition.

The Syrian Desert campaign is a campaign waged by Syrian government forces and their allies, including Iran and Russia, against the remaining forces of the Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian Desert region.

The following is a timeline of the Syrian civil war for 2022. Information about aggregated casualty counts is found in Casualties of the Syrian civil war.

References

  1. ↑ "ISIS launches a massive offensive in northwestern Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Russian Air Force pounds ISIS all over Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Leith Fadel (19 January 2016). "Tuesday death toll for ISIS rises over 80 in Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 Leith Fadel (17 January 2016). "Top ISIS commander in Deir Ezzor killed by the Syrian Army". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "ISIS offensive in northwestern Deir Ezzor fails again". Al-Masdar. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Paul Antonopoulos (20 January 2016). "General Zahreddine alive in Deir Ez-Zor (Video)". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Syria Casualties [@SyriaCasualties] (21 January 2017). "#DeirEzzor: General Yasar Ali killed by #ISIS in Deir ez-Zor: via @Malcolmite (679)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. 1 2 Fadel, Leith. Syrian Army, Hezbollah plan to liberate Deir Ezzor after Palmyra Archived 19 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine . Al-Masdar News. 12 March 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "About 440 killed and executed during the past 5 days in Der-Ezzor" . Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "Islamic State abducts 400 civilians in Syria, monitor says". SMH. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "At least 300 killed in Islamic State 'massacre' in Syrian city, state media says". Fox News. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Islamic State kills dozens in Syria's Deir al-Zor city
  13. 1 2 3 "Islamic State kills dozens in Syria's Deir al-Zor city - monitor and a source". Reuters. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 "Syria conflict: Conflicting accounts of Deir al-Zour attack". BBC News. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Deir Ezzor: Hundreds may be dead after ISIS abductions - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  16. 1 2 "ISIS Captures Government-Held Ground in Eastern Syria". The New York Times. 19 January 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 "Islamic State releases 270 civilians kidnapped in Syria's east: monitor". ABC News. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "Syrian Army recaptures several sites in Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  19. ↑ jack. "Violent Clashes continue in Der-Ezzor fronts". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  20. ↑ Hassan Ridha [@sayed_ridha] (20 January 2016). "#SAA recaptured Tel Kroum and is clashing with #IS on Jabal Tharda south of #DeirEzzor Airbase, reports of capturing Sa'iqa Base aren't true" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 February 2016– via Twitter.
  21. ↑ "ISIS launches new attack on the Deir Ezzor Airport". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Russian air force strikes besieged Syrian city, delivers aid". Yahoo News. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  23. ↑ "IS captures new areas from troops in eastern Syria". Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  24. ↑ "Syrian Army strikes back in Deir Ezzor: Tal Barouk captured". Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  25. 1 2 "Scores die in suspected Russian strikes in Syria's east". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  26. ↑ "Syrian army kills over 200 ISIS militants". Al-Masdar news agency. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "Hundreds dead as ISIS makes gains in strategic Syrian city - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  28. ↑ "'Islamic State militants kidnap 400 civilians from Syria's Deir al-Zor city'". The Economic Times.[ permanent dead link ]
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