2014 Quneitra offensive

Quneitra offensive
Part of the Syrian Civil War

Road from Quneitra to Damascus in the offensive zone (photo taken in 2005)
Date27 August – 23 September 2014
(3 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Quneitra Governorate and Daraa Governorate, Syria
Result

Rebel victory

  • Rebels take control of about 80 percent of towns and villages in Quneitra province[4] and seize the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan.[5]
  • Rebels capture the Quneitra Crossing,[3] ten villages/towns,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] one base and two strategic hills[7][12]
  • Rebels pull back from western Damascus countryside into northern Daraa countryside[9]
  • Al-Nusra Front takes 45 U.N. peacekeepers hostage on 28 August[13](released on 12 September)[14]
  • Army counter-attack on Mashara repelled.[15]
Belligerents

SRCC

Al-Nusra Front[3]

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

United Nations UNDOF
Commanders and leaders
Muhammad Majid al-Khatib
(Alwiya al-Furqan leader)[16]
Abu Uthman
(Ansar al-Huda commander)[17]		 Brigadier-general Nazir Fuddah[citation needed] Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha
Units involved

Alwiya al-Furqan[16]
Ahrar ash-Sham[2]
Ansar al-Huda[17]
Ababil Houran Brigade[18]
Fursan al-Ababil brigade[18]
Jabhat Ansar al-Islam
Youth of Sunnah Brigade

Quneitra Military Council[19]

7th Division[20]

90th Brigade[21]		 Unknown
Strength
Unknown Unknown UNDOF: Hundreds[5]
119–120
(Quneitra border crossing area)[13]
Casualties and losses
76+ rebels killed[3][22][23][24][25] 71+ Syrian soldiers killed[15][26]
11+ captured[27]
1 Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jet downed by Israel[28]		 44–45 U.N. peacekeepers captured[13]

The 2014 Quneitra offensive, code-named “The Real Promise”[21] or "Chargers of Dawn",[18] was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian civil war in Quneitra Governorate, in an attempt to take control of several sections in the central part of the province and around Quneitra city "with the aim of opening the way to Damascus."[29]

The Quneitra Crossing is considered to be a "gateway" into Damascus from the west. The rebel capture of the crossing meant that the rebels gained control over a long section of the border with Lebanon (Sheikh Mountains), Jordan and the ceasefire line in the Golan Heights.[citation needed]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference FSAlead was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference rebelcaptureUN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference mashara was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 3villages was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  13. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference 45UN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  15. ^ a b "Syria rebels reportedly advance near Golan Heights". i24news. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  16. ^ a b "Muhammad Majid al-Khatib: A Rising Leader in the Free Syrian Army". Jamestown Foundation. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  17. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference majdul was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ a b c MESOP NEWS ROUND UP SYRIA : REBELS VICTORY OF QUNEITRA OPENS PATH TO GHOUTA Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "The Moderate Rebels: A Complete and Growing List of Vetted Groups". Democratic Revolution, Syrian Style. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  20. ^ "Syria forces ranged for major counteroffensive to dislodge rebels from Quneitra. High tension on Golan". Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  21. ^ a b Jabhat al-Nusra advances on Quneitra, gains border crossing
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference 21killed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  27. ^ "ضباط وجنود أسرى لدى جبهة النصرة يناشدون النظام لمبادلتهم". Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  28. ^ Cite error: The named reference IDFshotjet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  29. ^ "More than 40 dead in clashes between Syrian army and rebels in Quneitra". Fox News Latino. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.