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Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase

Coordinates: 35°44′02″N 37°06′14″E / 35.7338°N 37.1039°E / 35.7338; 37.1039
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Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase
Part of the Syrian Civil War

Map showing the siege
Date23 September 2012 – 9 September 2015
(2 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
Location
Abu al-Duhur, Idlib Governorate, Syria
Result

Rebel victory

  • Rebels capture three villages[4][5] and the airbase[6]
Belligerents

Army of Conquest[1]

Syria Free Syrian Army
(until late 2014)

Syrian Arab Republic

Commanders and leaders
Syria Jamal Maarouf
(until late 2014)[7]		 Brig. Gen. Ihsan al-Zuhouri †
(Abu al-Duhur commander)
Abu Al-Jarrah[8]
Colonel Hussein Al-Yousif †[9]
(Syrian Arab Air Force 678 Squadron division commander)
Lieutenant Mohammad Khadour †[9]
(Syrian Air Force officer)
Lieutenant Saarem Mahfoud †[9]
(Syrian Air Force officer)
Units involved
Syria Syrian Martyrs' Brigade
(until late 2014)
Katibat Saifullah (كتيبة سيف الله)[10]		 11th Armored Division[11]
Liwaa Suqour Al-Daher[8]
678 Squadron[12]
Strength
1,000+ fighters[13] 250–700 soldiers[13][14]
Casualties and losses
Dozens killed
(final assault)[15]		 56+ killed[16]
71 captured (all executed)[17]
40+ missing[18]
One Antonov An-26 crashed[19]

The siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase was a battle for the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in the Idlib Governorate during the Syrian civil war. It was captured by the rebel and jihadist forces on 9 September 2015. The base had been besieged since September 2012.

The siege

[edit]
Airstrip at the base, littered with destroyed military equipment after the battle

On 22 September 2012, rebels from the Free Syrian Army carried out a coordinated attack involving 3 rebel battalions on the airbase at Abu al-Duhur, and then preventing Syrian Army reinforcements from reaching the base. They also claimed to have shot down a fighter jet during the attack, though this was not independently confirmed. By September 2012, the Syrian Air Force base was partially besieged by rebel fighters. The rebels, led by prominent commander Jamal Maarouf, established positions on the base's western edge, from where they were able to fire on the base's runways. The base was reported to have been rendered effectively unusable as a result, with planes no longer able to fly to or from it.[20] By this time, supplies for the troops were airdropped by helicopters that flew in from airbases in Hama. The rebels also upped their attacks on the airbase.[21] They claimed that as a result of their employment of anti-aircraft weaponry, they had rendered flights from the base inoperable.[22][23] In August and September 2012, two MiG-21 and one MiG-23 jet fighters were reportedly downed above the airbase, including one reportedly shot down by Maarouf himself.[7]

In 2013, the al-Khashir checkpoint (north east of the airport) was destroyed and burned by the rebels.[24] However, the army kept control of the village.[25] The base itself was also unsuccessfully stormed by the FSA on 30 April 2013, which temporally seized the western part of the base.[12]

In the early morning hours of 27 November 2014, heavily armed army units moved from the Abu Duhur airbase under cover of artillery and air fire and captured Haymat ad Dayir and Mustarihah villages north of the airbase, before retreating back to the airbase.[26][27]

After the capture of the Wadi Deif and Hamadiyah bases, the rebels turned their attention to the Abu al-Duhur airbase. They gathered about 1,000 fighters around the airport that was defended by about 700 soldiers.[13] On 15 January 2015, the rebels launched an offensive on the village of Tal Salmo that was geared at opening a new front south of the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase. The rebels attacked 2 points controlled by the army's 11th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces (NDF) at Tal Salmo. The assault on the 2 axes was foiled by the loyalist forces after almost 2 days of non-stop fighting with the militant groups.[11] The following day, the rebels pounded the village of Tal Salmo with a barrage of mortar shells in order to weaken the army fortifications. After that, the militants stormed the army defenses at Tal Salmo, attempting to breach the latter's frontlines from the western perimeter of the village. The rebels were unsuccessful in their infiltration attempt, as the army fought off the assault, resulting in their complete control of the checkpoints adjacent to the village.[28] 10 days later, it was reported that the rebels were in control of Tal Salmo. The village has strategic importance because it is close to the main gate of the airport and because it contains water wells that the troops in the airport consume via canalization.[4] A week later, violent clashes took place at the main gate of the airport.[29]

On 18 January 2015, an Antonov An-26 operated by the Syrian Air Force crashed while attempting to land at the besieged Abu al-Duhur military airport. There were 35 people on board,[30] 30 Syrian soldiers[9] and 5 Iranian military experts.[19] Syrian media and the pro-opposition SOHR said that the crash was due to heavy fog or "technical issues".[30][9][31] However, the Al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra Front claimed that they shot it down.[30][32][33] Syrian media provided a list with the names of the 30 Syrian soldiers who were killed.[9] Per SOHR, 13 Syrian officers were among the fatalities.[19]

On 23 January 2015, the rebels managed to control al-Hamidiyeh village on the East side of the Abu al-Duhur airbase. However they pulled out to the outskirts later.[34] On 25 January 2015, an Al Jazeera journalist from inside the village reported that the rebels were in control of al-Hamidiyeh.[4]

Helicopter left destroyed at Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase following the battle

On 17 February 2015, the al-Nusra Front reportedly shot down a helicopter above the airbase.[35]

On 26 August 2015, the rebels launched an assault on the airbase attempting to bypass the Army's frontline defenses from two axes before they were repelled. The rebels began their assault by sending two suicide bombers with their VBIED toward the base's western gates; however, the two militants were unsuccessful in reaching their destination, as the guards destroyed the enemy vehicles. Following their unsuccessful suicide attacks, the militants stormed the western axis of the Airport, where they attempted to bypass the fortifications at the main gate of the base. Then the rebels stormed the eastern gates of the base from their positions at the village of al-Khashir. The clashes continued until the army repelled the attackers.[36]

On 7 September 2015, the rebels launched another assault on the airbase under the cover of a heavy sandstorm[37] after at least one al-Nusra fighter blew himself up inside the base.[38] That day, the rebels captured Tabarat al-Khashit and its hill on the outskirts, forcing the government fighters to retreat towards the eastern gate.[39] The next day, the rebels advanced inside the airbase and captured the eastern part.[5] The rebels began posting pictures of them standing inside the base on social media not long after.[40]

On 9 September, the rebels captured the entire airbase.[6] The fall of the base was initiated after the Army withdrew to the outskirts.[8] Syrian state TV conceded that government troops had "evacuated their positions and moved to another point".[41] According to the SOHR, at least 56 soldiers were killed and 40 captured, while dozens of others are still missing.[16] Dozens of rebels were also killed during the battle.[15] The airbase commander, Brig. Gen. Ihsan al-Zuhouri, was among the government casualties.[42]

As of 10 September, 18 soldiers were known to have escaped the airbase, while the rest were either killed, captured or missing according to government sources.[43]

Aftermath

[edit]

On 18 September, 56 soldiers were executed by the al-Nusra Front and the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, bring the total number of executed soldiers in the airbase to 71.[17][44][45][46] A total of 63 soldiers reached government-held areas, while over 40 soldiers were still missing.[18]

During the siege, the Turkistan Islamic Party and al-Nusra were accompanied by Abdallah al-Muhaysini.[47] The Syrian government recaptured the airbase on 21 January 2018.[48]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Al Qaeda and allies form coalition to battle Syrian regime in Idlib". Long War Journal. 24 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Syrian rebels fight Syrian army near Assad heartland". Newsweek. Reuters. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2015. As the biggest group in Army of Fatah, Ahrar al-Sham appears to hold the key to preventing infighting.
  3. ^ "Ivan Sidorenko". Twitter. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b c "النصرة تسيطر على بلدات بمحيط مطار أبي الضهور بإدلب". Al Jazeera. 25 January 2015.
  5. ^ a b Leith Fadel (9 September 2015). "Jabhat Al-Nusra Enters the Abu Al-Dhuhour Airbase in Idlib: Intense Fighting Reported". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b Master (9 September 2015). "The troops of Bashar al- Assad's regime lose their last position in the province of Idlib". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  7. ^ a b Chivers, C. J. (27 September 2012). "Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks". Retrieved 25 May 2023 – via NYTimes.com.
  8. ^ a b c Leith Fadel (9 September 2015). "Syrian Army Withdrawals Most of Their Soldiers from Abu Al-Dhuhour Airport". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Leith Fadel (19 January 2015). "Idlib: Cargo Jet Crashes Outside of Abu Dhuhour Airbase - 30 Dead". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  10. ^ "From Chechnya To Syria — Coming Soon". www.chechensinsyria.com. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b Leith Fadel (15 January 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Launches an Offensive at Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Archived from the original on 28 July 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  12. ^ a b Oryx. "Oryx Blog". Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  13. ^ a b c "تحقيقات--مطار-أبو-الظهور-العسكري-..-والمعارك-التي-دارت-فيه". شبكة تفاعل التنموية. 19 January 2015. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Leith Abou Fadel". Twitter. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  15. ^ a b المرصد السوري. "أكثر من 120 قتيلاً وأسيراً وجريحاً من قوات النظام خلال السيطرة على آخر معاقلها في محافظة إدلب". المرصد السورى لحقوق الإنسان. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  16. ^ a b Master (10 September 2015). "At least 56 soldiers of the regime troops killed while dozens wounded and missed in Abo al- Dohur clashes". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  17. ^ a b Master. "71 soldiers of the regime forces executed in the airbase of Abo al- Dohur". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  18. ^ a b Leith Fadel (19 September 2015). "Syrian Rebels Execute Unarmed Prisoners from the Syrian Army in East Idlib". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  19. ^ a b c sohranas (19 January 2015). "11 military leaders from militia of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards die over the last 24 hours". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  20. ^ Barnhard, Anne; Hania Mourtada (22 September 2012). "Rebels Announce Move of Headquarters From Turkey to 'Liberated' Syria Territory". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  21. ^ Rania Abouzeid (7 February 2013). "Ground War: Syria's Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad". Time. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  22. ^ Rebels attack Syrian military airport, say shot down jet. Reuters. 2012-09-05.
  23. ^ Chivers, C.J. Rebels Make Gains in Blunting Syrian Air Attacks. The New York Times. 2012-09-26.
  24. ^ Archicivilians (August 2014). "Abu-ad Duhur". Archicivilians. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  25. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (27 January 2015). "JAN Map video clearly showing the current situation in Abu_Dhuhur_airbase". Twitter. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  26. ^ "تقدم عسكري للمعارضة بريف إدلب والمعارك محتدمة". alarabiya. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  27. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (27 November 2014). "SAA control of Khaz'zanat helped forces inside Al-Zohour military airport 2advance into near-by Tal Selmo and Mustariha villages". Twitter. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  28. ^ Leith Fadel (16 January 2015). "Idlib: The Al-Nusra Front Continues Their Push into Tal Salmo". almasdar news. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  29. ^ "ريف إدلب خسائر للنظام في هجوم للنصرة على مدخل مطار أبو الظهور". Orient News. 1 February 2015.
  30. ^ a b c "Syria conflict: Army 'plane crash' kills 35 soldiers". BBC News. 18 January 2015.
  31. ^ "Syrian military plane crash kills 35, al-Qaida claims credit". UPI. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  32. ^ "Al Qaeda says downs Syrian cargo plane, army says fog causes crash". Reuters. 18 January 2015.
  33. ^ "ASN 20150118". Aviation Safety Network. 18 January 2015.
  34. ^ Elijah J. Magnier (23 January 2015). "JAN control al-Hamidiyeh village". Twitter. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  35. ^ "Al-Qaida rebels down Syrian helicopter over Idlib province". Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  36. ^ Leith Fadel (26 August 2015). "Syrian Army Defeats Jabhat Al-Nusra at the Abu Al-Dhuhour Airport in Idlib". al Masdar News. Archived from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  37. ^ Master (8 September 2015). "The sandstorms still protect citizens from Bashar al- Assad air force". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  38. ^ Master. "New violent attack launched on the airbase of Abo al- Dohur in Idlib". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  39. ^ Master (7 September 2015). "The violent clashes continue around the airbase of Abo al- Dohur and the oilfield of Jazal". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  40. ^ "Charles Lister". Twitter. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  41. ^ "Syria conflict: Rebels seize key Idlib airbase". BBC News. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  42. ^ "Leith Abou Fadel". Twitter. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  43. ^ Leith Fadel (10 September 2015). "Deja Vu in Northern Syria: Jabhat Al-Nusra Captures the Abu Al-Dhuhour Military Airport". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  44. ^ Brooks-Pollock, Tom (19 September 2015). "Syria civil war: Islamist rebels 'execute 56 government troops' following capture of air base". The Independent.
  45. ^ "Insurgents killed 56 government troops at captured air base: Syria monitor". REUTERS. BEIRUT. 19 September 2015.
  46. ^ Bulos, Nabih (19 September 2015). "Militants execute 56 Syrian regime soldiers at captured airbase". The Telegraph.
  47. ^ Rikab, Waleed (6 October 2015). "Abdallah al-Muhaysini, a Pivotal Figure in the Islamist Insurgency in Syria". Syria Comment. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  48. ^ "Syria regime capture key Idlib airbase". The New Arab. 21 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
[edit]

35°44′02″N 37°06′14″E / 35.7338°N 37.1039°E / 35.7338; 37.1039

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