Operation Spring Shield

Operation Spring Shield
Part of the 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive and Turkish military operations in Idlib as part of Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war

The situation after the ceasefire.
Date27 February – 6 March 2020
(1 week and 1 day)
Location
Northwestern Syria
Result

Ceasefire[3]

  • Syrian government offensive on Idlib halted[4]
  • Turkish backed counteroffensive partially failed[2]
Territorial
changes
  • Turkish Armed Forces and their allies capture the strategic Zawiya Mountain and 18 villages[5][6]
  • Syrian government forces and their allies capture the strategic Saraqib city and 4 villages[7][8]
    • Belligerents
     Turkey  Syria
     Iran
    Hezbollah[1]
    Supported by:
     Russia[2]
    Commanders and leaders
    Units involved

    Turkish Armed Forces

    Syrian Armed Forces

     Iran

    Strength
    8,350[14]–20,000[15] Unknown
    Casualties and losses

    Per Turkey:[16][17][18]
    Turkey 41 killed
    81 wounded
    (including Balyun airstrikes)

    Materiel:

    destroyed or lost

    Per SOHR:[21]
    Syria 170 soldiers and 27 militiamen killed (between 15th of January and the 5th of March 2020).
    Per Middle East Institute:[22]
    Syria 405 government soldiers and militias killed
    Per Turkey:[23]
    Syria 3,136 soldiers and militiamen "neutralized"

    Materiel:

    Operation Spring Shield (Turkish: Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias. The operation was launched on 27 February 2020 in direct response to the Balyun airstrikes, aiming to address the escalating situation in the region.[26][27]

    According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the primary objective of Operation Spring Shield was to achieve a ceasefire agreement within the framework of the Astana talks and to establish stability in the Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone. Additionally, the operation sought to prevent the mass migration of people from Idlib to the Turkish border, a pressing humanitarian concern.[28]

    On 5 March, Turkey and Russia signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow, marking a step towards de-escalation in the region.[4]

    1. ^ Israel learned from Hezbollah's defeat at the hands of Turkey, Jerusalem Post, May 21, 2020. Accessed May 22, 2020.
    2. ^ a b Bohl, Ryan; Tack, Sim (5 March 2020). "Essential Geopolitics: Turkey and Russia Face a Risky Situation in Syria" (Podcast). Stratfor. Retrieved 23 July 2023. We've seen a Turkish supported counteroffensive on the ground in Idlib, which has partially failed
    3. ^ Tuvan Gumrukcu (2020-03-06). "Ceasefire in Syria's Idlib comes at a cost for Turkey's Erdogan". Reuters.
    4. ^ a b "Syria war: Russia and Turkey agree Idlib ceasefire". BBC News. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
    5. ^ "Opposition factions capture more areas in south Idlib as regime forces advance into Saraqeb". SOHR. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
    6. ^ "Liveuamap, (New Zaytoun, Az Ziyarah, Tell Wasit, Khirbat al-Naqus, Tall Rasm al Kabir, Tall Zajrim, Al Qahirah, Al Zuqum, Qulaydin, Al Ankawi, Al Haluba, Qaqafinah, Kafr Uwayd, Sfuhun, Fulayfil, Al Fatirah)". Liveuamap.
    7. ^ "Backed by Russian airpower, regime forces recapture Saraqib city only four days after Turkish forces and proxy factions captured it". SOHR. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
    8. ^ "Liveuamap (Kafr Battihk, Dadikh, Turunbah, Jubas, Saraqib)". Liveuamap.
    9. ^ "Bahar Kalkanı Harekatı'nı yöneten komutan Sinan Yayla kimdir nerelidir?" (in Turkish). Yeni Akit. 2020-03-02.
    10. ^ "Syrian regime commander reportedly killed in Turkish drone strike in Aleppo". Rudaw. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
    11. ^ a b "Turkish combat drones kill 3 Assad regime generals in Idlib". Daily Sabah. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
    12. ^ "Son dakika haberi: SİHA korkusu sardı! Rejimin elindeki asker sayısı azalınca, böyle getirildiler..." Sabah. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
    13. ^ "Cumhurbaşkanlığı İletişim Başkanlığı açıkladı: Güncel haritalar ve grafikler ile Suriye'de yaşanan son gelişmeler". Takvim. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
    14. ^ 150 Turkish military vehicles enter Syria as calm prevails the “de-escalation” zone
    15. ^ Ceasefire in Syria's Idlib comes at a cost for Turkey's Erdogan
    16. ^ "Erdoğan: İdlib'de 59 şehit verdik". www.sozcu.com.tr. 8 March 2020.
    17. ^ One Turkish soldier killed, two wounded in Syria's Idlib - ministry, Turkey says one soldier killed in Syrian government shelling in Idlib, One Turkish soldier killed and nine wounded in Syria's Idlib: ministry
    18. ^ Two Turkish soldiers killed, six wounded in Syria's Idlib - ministry, Turkish defence ministry says two soldiers died in Syria's Idlib
    19. ^ 1 Bayraktar TB2 (March 2020) [1] Archived 2022-03-02 at the Wayback Machine[2]
      1 TAI Anka-S (1 March)[3][4]
      1 Bayraktar Tactical UAS (3 March)[5][6]
      1 Bayraktar TB2 (4 March) [7]
    20. ^ Services (March 6, 2020). "Turkish UAVs played leading role in Idlib battle". Janes.
    21. ^ Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (March 5, 2020). "Military escalation in "De-escalation zone" 51 days on: 1,200,000 people displaced…2,640 killed…276 areas fall to regime forces". Retrieved March 13, 2021.
    22. ^ "The Syrian Regime's Combat Losses in Spring 2020, and What Lies Ahead". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
    23. ^ Operation Spring Shield leaves mark on Syria in 2020
    24. ^ "The Syrian Regime's Combat Losses in Spring 2020, and What Lies Ahead". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
    25. ^ "بعد إسقاطها لمروحيتين الشهر الفائت.. القوات التركية تسقط طائرتين حربيتين تابعة للنظام السوري في أجواء محافظة إدلب". SOHR. March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
    26. ^ Amberin Zaman (2020-03-01). "Turkey launches Operation Spring Shield against Syrian forces". Al-Monitor.
    27. ^ Joe Truzman (2020-03-05). "Turkey's Operation "Spring Shield" delivers blow to Hezbollah". Longwarjournal.org.
    28. ^ "Rusya'dan İdlib açıklaması: Ateşkes düzenlemesine genel olarak uyuluyor" (in Turkish). Ankara: Milliyet. 2020-03-12.