Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2014)

Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2014)
معركة الشيخ مسكين (2014)
Part of the Syrian Civil War

Map showing the rebel advances and government counterattacks
Date1 November 2014 – 15 December 2014
(1 month and 2 weeks)
Location
Result

Partial rebel victory[5]

  • Rebels capture Nawa,[6] three strategical hills,[7] seven bases,[8][9][10][11] the Hawi checkpoint[8] and the al-Dalli area[12]
  • Rebels break the siege of Al-Shaykh Maskin and Nawa[13]
  • Al-Shaykh Maskin divided between a rebel-held west and government-held east[14]
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army[1]
Islamic Front[1]
Al-Nusra Front[1]

Syrian Arab Republic

Hezbollah[2]
Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada[3][4]
Supported by:

Commanders and leaders
Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Fahad Al Naimi[15][self-published source?]
(Southern Command commander)
Gen. Assad al Zubi[1]
Capt. Abdul Hakim[16]
(Lions of Islam Brigade commander)
Abu Humam Jazrawi [17]
(local Nusra leader)
Col. Mohammad Jaber[18]
(Suqur al-Sahara commander)
Hassan Hazbawi [19][self-published source?]
(IRGC 64th Artillery Group)
Unknown Hezbollah leader [20]
Units involved

Southern Command[15][self-published source?]
Southern Front

Two al-Nusra battalions[15][self-published source?]

5th Mechanized Division[22]

7th Mechanized Division[7]

Suqur al-Sahara[18]
Strength
Unknown 1,900+ fighters (reinforcements)[24][self-published source?]
Casualties and losses
200 killed (pro-government claim; by 10 November)[7] 58 killed (pro-government claim; by 10 November)[7]

The Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (Arabic: معركة الشيخ مسكين الأولى) started with a Syrian Arab Army attempt, during the Syrian civil war in Daraa Governorate, to capture Al-Shaykh Maskin and thus secure the Daraa–Damascus highway. Two days later, the rebels launched their offensive, code-named "Edkholo Alayhem al-Bab" (Enter upon them through the gate)[25] and "Hadm al-Jedar" (Demolition Of The Wall), to take control of Al-Shaykh Maskin and the nearby town of Nawa.

  1. ^ a b c d "Moderate Syrian rebels say they're advancing on Damascus from south". McClatchy DC. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  2. ^ "A military leader in Hezbollah killed in al- Sheikh Meskin clashes". SOHR. 27 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference mercenaries was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Syria Update: November 25 – December 02, 2014". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  5. ^ "In Syria, a New Battlefront Opens". Stratfor. 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015. The government has sent reinforcements to the south to stem the rebel advances, but as the rebel victory at the Battle of Sheikh Miskin revealed, those forces are not always enough
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference nawa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference almasdar was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bases was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference brigade112a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference brigade112b was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference 60th was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference dalli was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "Daraa province slowly falls into Syrian rebel hands – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor.
  14. ^ "@deSyracuse Syria civil war (8 January 2015) – uMap".
  15. ^ a b c d e f "The Syrian Rebellion Observatory: 9-11-2014". Facebook. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  16. ^ a b ""نوى".. مدخل لدمشق بيد الثوار". Retrieved 13 November 2014.
  17. ^ "Syrian rebels defend hold on strategic town". Stuff. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  18. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference SAAofficers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ "Elijah J. Magnier on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference hezbollahleader was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (30 July 2016). "Liwa Shuhada' al-Yarmouk: History and Analysis". Syria Comment. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference 5thdivision was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference 175th_Brigade was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ "archicivilians on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference start was invoked but never defined (see the help page).