Damascus offensive (2013)

For other uses, see Battle of Damascus.
Damascus offensive (2013)
Part of the Syrian civil war (Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign)

Frontlines in Rif Dimashq from February to March 2013
  Syrian government control
  Opposition control
  Contested
Date6 February – 25 March 2013
(1 month, 2 weeks and 5 days)
Location
Damascus, Syria
Result

Partial rebel victory

  • Rebels capture parts of the ring road on the edge of Damascus and the city's Jobar district in early February
  • Rebels capture the Qaboun and Kafar Souseh districts in late March[6][7]
  • Government forces launch a counter-offensive to the east of Damascus in late March[8][9]
Belligerents

Free Syrian Army
Syrian Islamic Front[1]

Syrian Islamic Liberation Front

Al-Nusra Front[2]

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

PFLP – GC[3]
Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas[4]
 Israel (alleged)[5]
Commanders and leaders
Khaled al-Haboush
(Damascus Military Council commander)
Sheikh Zahran Alloush[citation needed]
(Liwa al-Islam brigade commander)
Abou Al Nour †[citation needed]
(Al Hendesah Brigade Leader)
Naim Faysal Fiyad †[citation needed]
(Ahfad Omar Brigade Leader)
Bachar Rez Abou Yassine †[citation needed]
(Ahfad Omar Brigade Leader)
Mahmoud Al Aqrae †[citation needed]
(Farouk Al Sham Brigade leader)
Ali Mahmoud Afouf †[citation needed]
(Dera Al Asemah Brigade Leader)
Mohamed Al Haj Sulaymane †[citation needed]
(Al Mujahed Brigade Leader)		 Syria Bashar Al-Assad
Issam Zahreddine[10]
(Republican Guard Brigade 104 commander)
Ahmed Jibril (PFLP – GC)[11]
Syria Ali Smender (National Defence Front for Syria) †[citation needed]
Units involved
Damascus Military Council 1st Armoured Division
3rd Armoured Division
4th Armoured Division
10th Mechanised Division
14th Special Forces Division
Republican Guard
Strength

4,500 fighters[12]

  • 750–1,000 al-Nusra fighters[13]
 70,000 soldiers,[14] 1000+ tanks
Casualties and losses
735+ fighters killed[15] 4,400+ soldiers killed[15]

The Damascus offensive (2013) refers to a series of rebel operations[16] that began in early February 2013 in and around the city of Damascus.

  1. ^ "BBC Arabic: Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda carry out acts of terror". Champress. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  2. ^ Yezdani, İpek (2 September 2012). "Rebels fighting against al-Assad rule fragmented, disorganized in Syria" (PDF). Hürriyet Daily News. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  3. ^ AFP (17 December 2012). "Syria hits back at UN over Palestinian refugees". Syria. NOW. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
  4. ^ Blanford, Nicholas (18 January 2013). "Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in Syria". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  5. ^ الدين, عمرو عز (5 May 2013). "الناطق باسم الجيش السوري الحر يتهم إسرائيل والنظام بتبادل الأدوار". الوطن (in Arabic). Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Syrian rebels bombard central Damascus, army artillery hits back". Reuters. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Assad appeals to BRICS countries to help end war | News, Middle East". The Daily Star. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  8. ^ "At least 15 civilians, including a child, have died in shelling of towns east of Damascus, a monitoring group has said. - Al Jazeera Blogs". Blogs.aljazeera.com. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  9. ^ Holmes, Oliver (8 April 2013). "Suicide car bomber kills 15 in central Damascus". Reuters. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Civilian Brigades Are Helping Syrian Army Control Territory - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  11. ^ "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  12. ^ "Heavy fighting continues in Mliha near Damascus - News - Society - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  13. ^ Ignatius, David (30 November 2012). "Al-Qaeda affiliate playing larger role in Syria rebellion". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  14. ^ Yacoub, Khaled (13 January 2013). "Syrian forces kill dozens in bombardments - opposition". Uk.reuters.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  15. ^ a b "المرصد السورى لحقوق الانسان". Syriahr.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  16. ^ "SYRIA UPDATE: THE SOUTHERN BATTLEFRONTS". ISW. 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013.