Second Battle of Maarat al-Nu'man

Second Battle of Maarat al-Nu'man
Part of the Syrian Civil War and Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
Al-Nusra Front members and a Free Syrian Army commander in Maarrat al-Nu'man
Date 13 March 2016 Location Maarat al-Numaan and Khan Shaykhun, Idlib province, Syria Result Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Asqa Victory Al-Nusra Front fully captures Maarat al-Nu'man and Khan Shaykhun[1]
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army	Al-Nusra Front Jund al-Aqsa
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Ahmad Al-Sa’oud[2] (13th Division leader) Capt. Ali al-Salloum[3] (Brigade commander)	Abu Mohammad al-Julani[2] (Jabhat al-Nusra Emir)
Units involved
13th Division al-Bukhari Brigade[3]	Unknown
Strength
Entire Division: around 1,000 fighters	Unknown
Casualties and losses
7 killed,[1] 40 captured[2]	4 killed[1]

On 13 March 2016, jihadists fighters from al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Aqsa launched an overnight attack against the 13th Division headquarters in the town of Maarrat al-Nu'man. According to social media activists in support of the Syrian opposition, Jabhat al-Nusra attacked Division 13 after local protestors and demonstrators used the flag of Free Syrian Army, rather than the black flag of jihad.^[4][5][6]

The Division headquarters was overrun after a fierce battle that left 7 of its combatants dead and 40 others kidnapped.^[3] Two storage facilities that were allegedly filled with the U.S. manufactured anti-tank BGM-71 TOW missiles were surrendered to the attackers, which the Division denies. The Division 13’s depots in Maarat al-Numan and three nearby towns were overran; Hesh, Khan Shaykhun and Tal Aas. An unspecified number of armored vehicles and a tank were captured.^[2][3][7]

By the end of the battle, the 13th Division abandoned all its posts in Maarat al-Nu'man and fled to Turkey.^[8] However, civilians opposed to the takeover took to the streets and stormed Nusra's HQ in the city, freeing some prisoners.^[9]

References

1. 11 Fighters killed in clash between the Division 13 and Al-Nusra in the countryside of Idlib and al-Nusra storm Maarrat al-Nu’man and Khan Shaykhun
2. "MIDEAST - Al-Qaeda in Syria clashes with rebels, seizes weapons". Retrieved 2016-03-14.
3. "Division 13 evacuate most of its headquarters in the southern countryside of Idlib and clashes between them against Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa in Maarrat al-Nu’man area and tension prevails in the area". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
4. Fadel, Leith. "Rebel infighting results in Nusra capturing U.S. manufactured missiles". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
5. "Al-Qaida seizes weapons, bases from US-backed Syrian rebels". 680 NEWS. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
6. Fadel, Leith. "Nusra captures Division 13 headquarters in Ma'arat Al-Nu'man". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
7. "Al-Qaida seizes weapons and bases from US-backed Free Syrian Army". Mail Online. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
8. "FSA exits strategic city in Syria's Idlib after warring with Nusra". en.abna24.com. 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
9. "Syria: Maarat al-Numan civilians protest against al-Qaeda's Nusra Front after attack on US-backed rebel group". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2016-03-14.