Battle of Damascus (2012)

This article is about the battle in the city of Damascus in 2012. For the broader campaign, see Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign. For other battles in Damascus, see Battle of Damascus.

Battle of Damascus (2012)
معركة دمشق
Part of the Syrian civil war (Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign)

Situation in the city during the battle of Damascus. Pink indicates a conflict area.
Date15 July – 4 August 2012
(2 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Damascus, Syria
33°30′44″N 36°17′54″E / 33.51222°N 36.29833°E / 33.51222; 36.29833
Result

Syrian government victory[2][3][4][5][6][7]

  • Rebel offensive repelled
  • Four senior government officials killed in a bombing attack
  • Sporadic insurgent attacks continue leading to a military offensive into the countryside in mid-August
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army
Jaysh al-Islam[1]		 Syria Syrian government
Commanders and leaders
Col. Qasem Sadedine
Col. Riad al-Asaad
Zahran Alloush		 Syria Bashar al-Assad
Syria Dawoud Rajiha †[8]
Syria Assef Shawkat †
Syria Fahd Jassem al-Freij
Syria Ali Abdullah Ayyoub
Syria Maher al-Assad (WIA)
Syria Mohammad al-Shaar (WIA)
Syria Hasan Turkmani †
Syria Hisham Ikhtiyar †
Units involved
Rebel elements from Idlib, Raqqa, Hama and Homs[9]
State of Palestine Several local Palestinian militias[10]
Strength

2,500–5,000[11][12] fighters (start of the battle)

  • 1,500 fighters from Idlib[13]
 Unknown
Casualties and losses
300 killed[14][15]
hundreds captured[14]
14 vehicles destroyed[16]
(government claim)		 92–97 killed*[17]
130 wounded[18][19]
3 tanks[20] and 1 armored car[21] destroyed
1 armored car captured [22]
3 Mil Mi-8 helicopters shot down[23][24]
300 killed (opposition claim)
140+ civilians killed[25]
  • Figures updated to 19 July
Battle of Damascus (2012) is located in Syria
Battle of Damascus (2012)
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Location within Syria

The Battle of Damascus (Arabic: معركة دمشق), also known as Operation Damascus Volcano (Arabic: عملية بركان دمشق), started on 15 July 2012 during the Syrian civil war. It is unclear who started the battle. Thousands of rebels infiltrated Damascus from the surrounding countryside. Following this, according to some reports, the opposition forces launched an operation to capture the capital, while according to other reports, the military learned of the large-scale rebel operation beforehand and made a preemptive strike. Some reports even suggested the rebels launched the operation prematurely due to their plans being discovered by the security forces.

After the rebels initially captured half a dozen districts and killed four high-ranking government ministers in a bombing, opposition forces were forced to retreat following a military counter-attack, leaving the army in control of the capital after three weeks of fighting. It was the first time tanks and helicopters had been deployed in central Damascus and left parts of the city as a warzone.

  1. ^ Damien McElroy (18 July 2012). "Assad's brother-in-law and top Syrian officials killed in Damascus suicide bomb". The Independent.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference general was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Syria army destroys houses in 'collective punishment'". Reuters. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  4. ^ "After defeat in Damascus, Syrian rebels expand fight in Aleppo". thestar.com. Toronto. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Syrian rebels routed in capital fight". USATODAY.COM. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Rebel area shows limits of rebel push for Damascus". Retrieved 25 October 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Syrian rebels fight close to heart of Damascus". Reuters. 6 February 2013. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  8. ^ "Syria's defense minister killed in Damascus suicide bombing: state TV". Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  9. ^ "Syrian battles rage, rebels destroy Army helicopter". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Palestinians join Syria revolt: activists, FSA". The Daily Star. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Rebels start ops to free Damascus, Assad sends in helicopters, tanks". 18 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  12. ^ "5,000 rebel fighters 'heading to Damascus to topple Bashar al-Assad'". The Evening Standard. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  13. ^ "In Syria, Rebels Celebrate Stunning Assassinations–and Send More Forces to Damascus". Time. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Assad masses tanks for decisive battle in Aleppo". The Australian. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Syrian army declares Al Tadamun in Damascus district as 'free of insurgency'". Al Jazeera Blogs. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference soldiersjump was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ 65 [1] Archived 19 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine-70 [2] killed (16–17 July), 4 killed (18 July),[3] 23 killed (19 July),[4] total of 92-97 reported killed
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference fightingrages was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference losesgrip was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference guardian1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference converge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference a was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ "Support Kurds in Syria". Archived from the original on 28 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2014.