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Battle of Idlib (2012)

Coordinates: 35°55′47″N 36°37′54″E / 35.9297°N 36.6317°E / 35.9297; 36.6317
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This article is about the First Battle of Idlib. For the 2015 Battle of Idlib, see Second Battle of Idlib.
Battle of Idlib (2012)
Part of the Idlib Governorate clashes (September 2011–March 2012) and the Early insurgency phase of the Syrian Civil War

Additional armored and artillery units arrived outside of Idlib by 11 March and began deploying into the city by 12 March 2012.
Date10–13 March 2012
Location
Idlib city, Idlib Governorate, Syria
Result Syrian Army victory
Belligerents
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army
Syrian opposition Syrian Liberation Army[1]
Ahrar ash-Sham[2]

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

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]–52[5] killed 7 killed[4]
100+ killed in total[6]

The Battle of Idlib 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

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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.[7]

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.[8] The LCC put the number of deaths in Idlib at 11 fatalities.[9] Chinese media reported photos of Idlib residents escaping a tank attack on the city.[10]

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.[11] The LCC reported that a massacre took place in the city, with 38 people killed, most in the Muhameel, allegedly executed by Syrian Army.[12] Heavy tank fire was also reported in the area.[12] Several days later, FSA gunmen killed a state prosecutor and a judge.[13]

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.[14][15][16]

The battle

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Initial shelling

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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.[17] Witnesses described a shell landing every two minutes 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.[18]

The ground assault

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After the end of the shelling, the army stormed the city with troops carriers and fierce clashes subsequently occurred.[19] 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.[20] 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.[21] 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.[22]

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

An activist estimated the death toll of the first day was at least 20 killed based on casualties brought to a hospital in the city.[18] The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 16 rebels and seven soldiers had been killed in Idlib.[23][24] 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.[25] 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.[26]

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.[18]

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.[27]

An activist said the soldiers from the Syrian Army had been granted complete freedom to loot everything from people's homes and shops.[28] An opposition activist said that the Army took control of parts of the city.[29] 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.[18]

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.[30] 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.[31] An opposition spokesman announced that the rebels withdrew from the city after being outgunned, which was later confirmed by sources close to Al Jazeera.[32] 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.[33] 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.[34] 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.[35][36][37][38]

After the battle, the Free Syrian Army fled to Binnish after retreating from Idlib.[39] Two Turkish journalists went missing in the battle.[40] 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]

Aftermath

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Main articles: April 2012 Idlib Governorate Operation and Kofi Annan peace plan for Syria

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.[41] The ceasefire was officially announced by the Syrian government on 14 April.

On 16 April, renewed fighting was reported in Idlib city.[42] This fighting came after the Syrian army in Idlib reportedly killed 26 civilians.[43] 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.[44]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Syrian Rebels Plot Their Next Moves: A Time Exclusive". Time. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 8 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b "BBC Arabic: Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda carry out acts of terror". Champress. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Syrian forces assault Idlib amid peace talks". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Syrian troops conduct "qualitative" operation in Idlib: media". Xinhua. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b Loyd, Anthony (19 March 2012). "Syrian survivors tell of Idlib massacre". The Australian. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Idlib - Mar 14, 2012 - 15:43". Al Jazeera Blogs.
  7. ^ Opposition Stronghold Prepares For Assault, 12 February 2012 Archived 13 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "More shelling in Homs neighborhoods as Syrian forces shun international pressure". Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Assad sets date for Syria referendum". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Syrian citizens escape from homes after Army tanks attack Idlib". Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Reports: Syria's Idlib neighborhoods 'seized by militants'". Archived from the original on 20 April 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Massacre in Idlib 16-2-2012 - Local coordination committees of Syria". Archived from the original on 30 April 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Syrian state prosecutor, judge assassinated in Idlib". CTVNews. 19 February 2012. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Ultime Notizie Online - Agenzia Giornalistica Italia - AGI". Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Syrian army sends more reinforcements to Idlib". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  16. ^ Meo, Nick (11 March 2012). "Dispatch: Syrians flee Assad's helicopter gunships". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  17. ^ "syria - Mar 10, 2012 - 13:16". Al Jazeera Blogs. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d "Syria: Witnesses Describe Idlib Destruction, Killings". Huffington Post. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  19. ^ "Syria assaults opposition as diplomacy staggers". New York Post. 10 March 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  20. ^ "Syrian ground forces storm rebel stronghold of Idlib". The Australian Eye News. 11 March 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  21. ^ "Syrian army storms rebel city Idlib as diplomatic efforts continue". The Australian. 11 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  22. ^ "Syria Live Blog Sun, 11 Mar 2012, 05:29 GMT+3". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  23. ^ Syria assaults opposition as diplomacy staggers [dead link‍]
  24. ^ "Syria's Assad meets Annan, but gives little ground". Reuters. 10 March 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Beirut - Mar 11, 2012 - 12:01". Al Jazeera Blogs.
  26. ^ "Syria - Mar 11, 2012 - 18:56". Al Jazeera Blogs. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  27. ^ "Syria Live Blog Mon, 12 Mar 2012, 08:42 GMT+3". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  28. ^ "Activists: With UN gone, Syrian forces kill nearly 50 women, children". The Christian Science Monitor. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  29. ^ "Syrian army bombards Edleb, two dead, say activists". NOW Lebanon. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  30. ^ "Global News - Latest & Current News - Weather, Sports & Health News". Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  31. ^ "Syrian forces take over Idlib as group reports torture by regime". CNN. 14 March 2012. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  32. ^ "Tue, 13 Mar 2012, 20:59". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  33. ^ "Activist: Syrian army overruns Edleb, rebels flee". NOW Lebanon. 14 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012.
  34. ^ Barnard, Anne (14 March 2012). "Emboldened Syrian Army Now Moves to Quell Southern City". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 April 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  35. ^ "Pro-Assad show, 'massacre' mark Syria anniversary; Death toll reaches 9,000". Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  36. ^ "Abitémis.info". Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  37. ^ "Syrian troops retake opposition stronghold". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  38. ^ "Syrian army overruns Idlib as leading figures quit rebel council citing 'chaos'". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  39. ^ Weaver, Matthew (14 March 2012). "Syria: Idlib falls as opposition splits - Wednesday 14 March 2012". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  40. ^ "Two Turkish journalists missing in Syria". Hurriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  41. ^ "hpt=hp_t2". CNN. 3 April 2012. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  42. ^ "Fierce clashes in Syria cast doubt on U.N. Observer mission". Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  43. ^ "Monday comes to a close with the fall of 55 martyrs - Local coordination committees of Syria". lccsyria.org. Archived from the original on 30 April 2012.
  44. ^ "Syria 'pledges respect' for Annan plan". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
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35°55′47″N 36°37′54″E / 35.9297°N 36.6317°E / 35.9297; 36.6317

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