First Battle of Idlib

First Battle of Idlib Part of the Idlib Governorate clashes (September 2011–March 2012) and the Syrian Civil War Date 10–13 March 2012 Location Idlib city, Idlib Governorate, Syria Result Syrian Army victory Belligerents Syrian National Council Free Syrian Army Syrian Liberation Army[1] Mujahideen Ahrar ash-Sham[2] Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Army Commanders and leaders Abdul-Rahman al-Souri (Ahrar ash-Sham)[2] Unknown Units involved Unknown 12th Armoured Brigade 45th Army Regiment Strength 1,000-1,300 fighters,[3] 2 tanks (opposition claim) 1,200 soldiers, 42 tanks Casualties and losses 36[4]–[5] 52 killed, 130 captured[6] 7 killed[4] 100+ killed in total[7] Location within Syria

Idlib Governorate clashes (Sep.2011–Mar.2012) Syrian–Turkish border Jabal al-Zawiya Idlib City Saraqeb

The First Battle of Idlib was a battle that was fought in the city of Idlib, located in the north of Syria, starting on 10 March 2012. The battle took place in a province considered a stronghold of the armed opposition to the Syrian government and was fought in the wider context of the Syrian Army trying to retake several rebel strongholds. After three days of fighting, the Syrian Army recaptured the city.

Background

Prior to the battle, there were months of clashes around Idlib which had seen the rebels taking over the city.

As early as 12 February, it was reported that the opposition forces within the city of Idlib were under preparations for the "inevitable attack" by Syrian Army troops.^[8]

The Syrian Revolution General Commission reported that 54 people were killed by security force gunfire across Syria on 15 February, with most of the deaths in Idlib.^[9] The LCC put the number of deaths in Idlib at 11 fatalities.^[10] Chinese media reported photos of Idlib residents escaping a tank attack on the city.^[11]

On 16 February, Russian sources reported that several of the Idlib neighbourhoods fell under the control of armed groups who were looting government buildings and private offices.^[12] The LCC reported that a massacre took place in the city, with 38 people killed, most in the Muhameel, allegedly executed by Syrian Army.^[13] Heavy tank fire was also reported in the area.^[13] Several days later, FSA gunmen killed a state prosecutor and a judge.^[14]

The week before the battle, there was a military buildup and reinforcements were prepared for the assault. On 9 March, a column of 42 tanks and 131 troop carriers headed towards the city.^[15][16][17]

The Battle

Initial shelling

On the morning of 10 March, the Syrian army started the offensive by heavily shelling the city with artillery, mortar and tanks. Later, infantry backed by tanks began to move into Idlib from the southeast.^[18] Witnesses described a shell landing every two minute in the city, with no definite targets. The rebels were unable to fight back the shelling of the city which lasted until the night with a lull at midday.^[19]

The ground assault

After the end of the shelling, the army stormed the city with troops carriers and fierce clashes subsequently occurred.^[20] On the first day of fighting, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 14 civilians were killed and that 150 people had been arrested and shortly after executed by the army.^[21] Other reported deaths for the first day of the assault were 23 rebels fighters killed in an ambush by forces loyal to Assad as they were coming to help their fellow fighters in Idlib, while four pro-Assad soldiers were killed elsewhere in the city.^[22] The commander of the Free Syria Army based in Turkey and an activist said that his soldiers had managed to hit one helicopter and destroy six tanks during the battle. He also stated that 30 soldiers had defected during the fighting, and had defected with 2 tanks.^[23]

Additional armored and artillery units arrived outside of Idlib by March 11 and began deploying into the city by March 12

An activist estimated the death toll of the first day at at least 20 killed based on casualties brought to a hospital in the city.^[19] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 16 rebels and seven soldiers had been killed in Idlib.^[24][25] Syrian media gave the figures of 14 rebels killed and no military casualties.^[4] Al Jazeera reported that the main hospital was taken by the Syrian Army and the rebels reported to a journalist that they thought it was just a matter of time before the city would be retaken by the government.^[26] A resident of the city told Al Jazeera that many people fled the city and that snipers were everywhere. He added that the government troops were conducting house to house searches to arrest opposition members and talked about looting taking place in the city.^[27]

More than 30 dead were brought to the same hospital on the second day of fighting. The hospital could not cope with the number of people injured, and the park used to bury the people killed in the battle rapidly became full. About half of the people killed were civilians, who suffered mainly from the shelling.^[19]

Al Jazeera reported on the third day of fighting that Syrian Army soldiers were still randomly shelling the town and snipers were causing increasing civilian casualties. An Al Jazeera correspondent inside Idlib filed a video report, showing that most of the fighters in the town were locals, trying to defend their families. It was said in the report that the artillery was not just targeting opposition fighters, but was rather randomly hitting the town. The reporter showed pieces of shells that had hit the town.^[28]

An activist said the soldiers from the Syrian Army had been granted complete freedom to loot everything from people's homes and shops.^[29] An opposition activist said that the Army took control of parts of the city.^[30] It was reported by residents that the Army was burning the houses of known activists, one resident claimed that 30 houses were burned in total. Activists who described the situation said many residents had left Idlib but that 85% of the population still remained in the city.^[19]

Both a pro-government newspaper and the opposition group SOHR reported on 13 March that the Syrian Army took control of the city, with slight resistance to mop-up operations in three districts.^[31] This was confirmed the next morning, when opposition activists reported that the army had captured most of Idlib, with only small pockets of FSA resistance remaining in the city.^[32] An opposition spokesman announced that the rebels withdrew from the city after being outgunned, which was later confirmed by sources close to Al Jazeera.^[33] One source reported that the last rebels resisting had left Idlib and that the city was under full control of the army, with no more fighting reported.^[34] However, Syrian army tanks and artillery units continued to shell some areas in and around the city, the second day of heavy barrages, to flush out the last remaining hold-outs of anti-government resistance which remained entrenched.^[35] By the end of the day the AFP, Associated Press, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya had also reported that the city was recaptured by the Syrian Army.^{[36][37][38][39]}

After the battle, the Free Syrian Army fled to Binnish after retreating from Idlib.^[40] Two Turkish journalists went missing in the battle.^[41] Survivors of the Free Syrian Army told their story, one of them saying that the soldiers had rolled over eight dead bodies with armored vehicles. He added that a shell struck his group killing 3 fighters and wounding 2 others. Another survivor said that 16 fighters of his group of 20 were killed in the battle to defend the city. Since its recapture the city has been sealed off by security forces searching for any suspected rebels with hundreds of FSA soldiers having fled to Turkey.^[5] Syrian authorities claimed that 130 armed men surrendered in Idlib.^[6]

Aftermath

The April 2012 Idlib Governorate Operation was initiated by the Syrian government, in order to make gains against the rebels, prior to the implementation of the U.N. brokered ceasefire, planned for 10 April.^[42] The ceasefire was officially announced by the Syrian government on 14 April.

On 16 April, renewed fighting was reported in Idlib city.^[43] This fighting came after the Syrian army in Idlib reportedly killed 26 civilians.^[44] Two days later, despite a ceasefire organized by the UN, the Syrian army shelled parts of the city, due to a continuing presence of opposition fighters in those areas. Activists in Idlib claimed that many people had been killed in the fighting, although the claims could not be independently verified.^[45]

See also

• Second Battle of Idlib

References

External links

• In Cold Blood, Human Rights Watch, 10 April 2012.

Syrian Civil War
Part of the Arab Spring
Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 al-Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Battle of Raqqa Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) 7th Rif Dimashq offensive Northwestern Syria offensive 2015 Aleppo offensive 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Latakia offensive (2015–2016) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Apr * May–Aug) Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 3rd Deir ez-Zor offensive Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Wusta clashes Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016) Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (February–March 2016) Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) February Homs bombings February Sayyidah Zaynab bombings 2016 Khanasir offensive Battle of Tel Abyad Qamishli clashes (April 2016) Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016) 8th Rif Dimashq offensive Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016) May 2016 Jableh and Tartous bombings Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (June 2016) 9th Rif Dimashq offensive Manbij offensive (2016) Tokhar 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Battle of al-Rai (August 2016) 2016 Aleppo campaign Jarabulus offensive (2016) Western al-Bab offensive (2016) 5 September 2016 Syria bombings September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid September 2016 Urum al-Kubra Aid Convoy Attack September Aleppo offensive 2016 Dabiq offensive Western al-Bab offensive (October 2016) Aleppo offensive (October 2016) Khan al-Shih offensive (October 2016) Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016) Northern al-Bab offensive (November 2016) Battle of al-Bab (2016) Aleppo offensive (November 2016) Palmyra offensive (December 2016) Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike
Involved parties Syria Ba'ath Government| Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party Military & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Ba'ath Brigades Syrian Resistance Syrian Social Nationalist Party PFLP-GC Palestine Liberation Army Liwa al-Quds Smaller groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russia's involvement military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) Opposition & allies NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Opposition militias Jaysh al-Halab Fatah Halab Hawar Kilis Southern Front Jaysh al-Islam Al-Rahman Legion Liwa al-Majid Martyrs of Islam Brigade Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union Victory Brigades New Syrian Army Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya Forces of Martyr Ahmad al-Abdo Jabhat Ansar al-Islam Alwiya al-Furqan Support for the Opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari involvement Saudi Arabia Turkey Army of Conquest & allies Army of Conquest Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Ahrar al-Sham Sham Legion Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki Jaysh al-Sunna Suqour al-Sham Brigade Liwa al-Haqq Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria Allied groups Jabhat Ansar al-Din Ansar al-Sham Caucasus Emirate Ajnad al-Kavkaz Junud al Makhdi Rojava (SDF) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political groups SDF groups People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Al-Sanadid Forces Syriac Military Council Army of Revolutionaries Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Al-Nukhbat Brigade Free Officers Union SDF Military Councils ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military of ISIL Jamaat Bayt al-Maqdis al-Islamiya Dokumacılar Allied groups Khalid ibn al-Walid Army
People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa
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Coordinates: 35°55′47″N 36°37′54″E / 35.9297°N 36.6317°E / 35.9297; 36.6317