Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2016)

See also: Battle of Maarrat al-Numan (2012)
Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War and Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
Date13 March 2016
Location
Maarat al-Numaan and Khan Shaykhun, Idlib Governorate, Syria
35°38′N 36°40′E / 35.633°N 36.667°E / 35.633; 36.667
Result

Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Aqsa victory

  • Al-Nusra Front fully captures Maarat al-Nu'man and Khan Shaykhun[1]
  • Majority of Division 13's leaders captured[2]
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front
Jund al-Aqsa
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Ahmed al-Saud
(Division 13 chief commander)
Maj. Musa al-Khalid[3]
(Division 13 commander)
Zahir al-Ahmed (POW)
(56th Infantry Brigade commander)[4]
Capt. Ali al-Salloum (POW)
(Victory Brigade commander)[5]
Zakaria Quitaz
(Division 13 media official)[4]		 Abu Mohammad al-Julani
(Jabhat al-Nusra Emir)[6]
Units involved

Division 13  Surrendered[6]

  • Victory Brigade[5]
  • 56th Infantry Brigade[4]
 Unknown
Strength
Entire division: around 1,000 fighters Unknown
Casualties and losses
7 killed,[1] 40+ captured[6] 4 killed[1]
Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2016) is located in Syria
Battle of Maarat al-Numan (2016)
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Location within Syria

On 13 March 2016, jihadist fighters from Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Aqsa launched an overnight attack against the Free Syrian Army's 13th Division headquarters in the town of Ma'arrat al-Nu'man. According to social media activists in support of the Syrian opposition, Jabhat al-Nusra attacked Division 13 over local protesters and demonstrations.[7][8][9]

  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ "Nusra Front arrest the armament official in Division 13 and seize weapons, arrest other leaders in the Division | Syrian Observatory for Human Rights". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-08-18.
  3. ^ Barnard, Mark Mazzetti, Anne; Schmitt, Eric (6 August 2016). "Military Success in Syria Gives Putin Upper Hand in U.S. Proxy War". The New York Times.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c "Nusra accused of kidnapping FSA commander". Now News. 20 July 2016. Archived from the original on 21 July 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference FSA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Fadel, Leith. "Rebel infighting results in Nusra capturing U.S. manufactured missiles". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-27. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  8. ^ "Al-Qaida seizes weapons, bases from US-backed Syrian rebels". 680 NEWS. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  9. ^ Fadel, Leith. "Nusra captures Division 13 headquarters in Ma'arat Al-Nu'man". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-25. Retrieved 2016-03-14.