Daraa offensive (October 2014)

Daraa offensive
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Date3–6 October 2014
(3 days)
LocationDaraa Governorate, Syria
Result

Rebel victory

  • Army counter-attack on Deir al-Adas repelled[1]
Territorial
changes		 Rebels capture al-Harrah town,[2] two villages,[3][4] three checkpoints,[3][4] Tell al-Harrah[5] and its radar base[6][7]
Belligerents

Syria Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front
Alwiya al-Furqan[7]

Al-Nusra Front

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

Supported by:

Commanders and leaders
Captain Abu Aws[7] Brig. Gen. Mahmud Abo Arraj
(Brigade 121 commander)[9]
Brig. Gen. Nazir Fuddah [6]
Units involved

Syria Amoud Houran Brigade[10]
Syria Tawhid Kata’ib Horan[10]
Syria Ababil Houran Brigade[11]

Hazzm Movement[7]

7th Division[12]

  • 121st Brigade[9]
9th Division
90th Brigade
15th Brigade
Strength
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
63+ killed[13][14][15] 53+ killed[1][13]
26+ civilians killed[2][15]

The October Daraa offensive, code-named "wa al-Fajr wa Layali Asher"[16] ("By the Dawn and ten nights"), was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian civil war in Daraa Governorate, in an attempt to take control of Al-Harra and Al-Sanamayn.[17] This operation came after the successful rebel offensive in Quneitra province, which resulted in the rebels seizing the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan and the capture of a number of towns, villages and hills in Quneitra and Daraa provinces.

Failed army attack and rebel offensive

On 3 October, 23 soldiers were reportedly killed after a failed attempt to regain control over Deir al Adas.[1] The next day, rebels announced the start of a military operation called "wa al-Fajr wa Layali Asher", which aimed to capture al-Harra town and its 1,075 meters high strategic hill and to besiege Army forces in Al-Sanamayn and its surrounding barracks.[16] That day, between 18 and 60 rebels were killed.[14][18]

On 5 October, at least 30 soldiers and 29 rebels were killed at Tell Al-Harrah and at its radar base.[13] The rebels captured the hill,[5] Azmerin village and the Oum El-Aaoussaj barrier in al-Harrah town. According to opposition sources, two army tanks were destroyed and one fighter jet was downed,[4] while rebels also managed to capture the Tell al-Ahmar and the security facilitity in the south of al-Harrah town and the al-jadeera checkpoint east of it.[19] The base on the hill contained Center C, a spy facility run by a Russian special unit.[8]

The next day, rebels captured the village of Zimrin (east of Al-Harrah town), the two strategic hills surrounding it (Western Tell Zimrin and Northern Tell Zimrin),[20] and two checkpoints nearby.[3] That day, 16 rebels (including two commanders) and six members of the same family were killed.[15]

Aftermath

On 10 October, the Syrian Army started bombing al-Harrah town from the air and with ground-to-ground missiles, killing 20 civilians.[2]

On 15 October, the Syrian brigadier-general “Mahmud Abo Arraj”, commander of the Brigade 121 affiliated to the Seventh Division, fled his home in Damascus to the Syrian-Jordanian border after hearing he will be on trial and executed on charge of high treason due to "handing over al-Harrah Hill". He is likely killed in Rif Dimashq, but his body is still missing.[9]

On 17 October, rebels announced the start of a new battle called “Ahlo al-Azem", which aimed in the capture of the following Army checkpoints: Umm al-Mayazen al Tebeh, Al-Ma’esra checkpoint and Al-Kazeyyat checkpoint. These checkpoints are located along the Damascus-Jordan highway and are considered the biggest of their kind in the eastern area.[21] On 20 October, rebels captured the al-Jeser, al-Falahin gas station and al-Ma'sara checkpoints near Umm al-Mayazan after three days of fighting. Umm al-Mayazan village was captured by the rebels the next day after heavy fighting with pro-government troops, who withdrew from the village and reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels.[22] That same day, at least 8 civilians were killed after the Syrian Arab Air Force bombed the Nasib border town.[23]

On 23 October, rebels captured the Umm al-Mayathen checkpoint near Nasib border crossing.[24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "23 soldiers from the regime forces died in Daraa.". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "20 civilians including 5 children, killed in al-Harra in Dar’a". Facebook.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Al-nusra front and rebel battalions capture barriers in Daraa countryside". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Opposition fighters seize areas in Daraa, southern Syria". KUNA. October 5, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "19 regular soldiers killed during clashes in the strategic hill of al-Harra". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  6. 1 2 Oryx. "Captured Russian spy facility reveals the extent of Russian aid to the Assad regime". Spioenkop.blogspot.nl. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "اشتباكات في جوبر والنظام يستولي على الدخانية"الجيش الحر" يحرّر مدينة الحارة الاستراتيجية في درعا". Almustaqbal Newspaper. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Syrian Rebels Seize Russian Spy Station Near Israeli Border". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 SOHRadmin1. "The brigadier- general "Mahmud Abo Arraj" has escaped from the regime army". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  10. 1 2 "The Moderate Rebels: A Complete and Growing List of Vetted Groups". الثورة الديمقراطية، الطراز السوري Democratic Revolution, Syrian Style. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Elijah J Magnier: 6-10-2014". Twitter.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Syria forces ranged for major counteroffensive to dislodge rebels from Quneitra. High tension on Golan". Debka.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 "Syria regime bombing kills 21, including 8 children: monitor". Yahoo News. 10 October 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  14. 1 2 "Clashes in Daraa left 18 deaths on al Nusra and rebel battalions side.". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 "22 martyrs in Daraa, including 16 rebel fighters". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Islamic battalions announce a new battle in Dar’a countryside". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Syria rebels take strategic hill near capital". Aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "Syrian Army Repulses Rebel Attack on Tal Harra". almasdarnews. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "Rebels Conquer Southern Gate to Western Ghouta". Syrianobserver.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  20. ↑ "الجيش الحر يسيطر على بلدة زمرين والتلال المحيطة بها في درعا ضمن معركة "لبيك اللهم لبيك"". Smart News. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "Announcment of a new battle in Daraa, and death of 10 IS militants in Deir Ezzor". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "Syrian Army Captures Al-Samdaniyya in Quneitra; Rebels Capture ‘Umm Mayaazan in Dara’a". Al-Masdar News. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "تقدم للمقاتلين في محيط بلدة أم المياذن بريف درعا". Syriahr.com. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  24. ↑ Al Jazeera. "Syrian rebels take key checkpoint near Jordan". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
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