Qalamoun offensive (2017)

Qalamoun offensive (2017)
Part of the Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon and Syrian Civil War

Battle of Western Qalamoun (2013–2017)
  Syrian Government & Hezbollah control
  Lebanese Government & Hezbollah control
  Syrian Opposition control
For a war map of the current situation in Rif Dimashq, see here.
Date21 July 2017 – 28 August 2017
(1 month and 1 week)
Location
Western Qalamoun Mountains, Lebanon–Syria border
Result

Syrian Army, Hezbollah and Lebanese Army victory

  • Saraya Ahl al-Sham surrender, transferred with their families to eastern Qalamoun[4]
  • 7,000 Syrian refugees and Tahrir al-Sham fighters transferred to Idlib[5]
  • Hezbollah took over the Arsal valley[6] and concluded a ceasefire with members of Tahrir al-Sham on the transfer to the province of Idlib[7]
  • ISIL remnants agree to withdraw to Abu Kamal.[8]
  • The Lebanese Army and Syrian Army gain full control of the Syrian-Lebanese border for the first time in six years.[9]
  • End of the Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon
Belligerents

Hezbollah
Syria Syrian Arab Republic
 Iran[1]

Lebanon Lebanon
Support:

Tahrir al-Sham Surrendered[3]

Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army  Surrendered		 Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Surrendered
Commanders and leaders

Hassan Nasrallah
(Secretary-General of Hezbollah)
Iran Qasem Soleimani[1]

Lebanon Michel Aoun
(Commander-in-chief)
Lebanon Joseph Aoun
(Commander of the LAF)		 Abu Malek al-Tali Surrendered
(HTS emir of Qalamoun)		 Islamic State Muawfaq Abu al-Sus Surrendered[10]
(ISIL emir of Qalamoun)
Islamic State Ahmad Wahid al-Abd Surrendered[11]
(ISIL commander and high-ranking jurist)
Units involved

Hezbollah

Syrian Armed Forces

Iran Quds Force[1]

Lebanon Lebanese Armed Forces

United States special operations forces[2]

Tahrir al-Sham

Free Syrian Army

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Strength

4,000

Lebanon 3,000		 1,500 Islamic State 600[16]
Casualties and losses

24 killed[17][18]

Lebanon 3 killed[19]		 150 killed[17] 20 killed,[16] 100+ surrendered[20]

The Qalamoun offensive (2017) was a military operation launched by Hezbollah, the Syrian Armed Forces, and later the Lebanese Armed Forces, against members of Tahrir al-Sham and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on the Lebanon–Syria border. The Lebanese Army denied any coordination with Hezbollah or the Syrian Arab Army.[21][22][23]

  1. ^ a b c d "Shocking Dead numbers of Hezbollah and Qalamoun shield militias in Arsal battles". Nedaa. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b "US Special Forces operating in Lebanon 'close to Hizballah'". The News Arab. 6 August 2017.
  3. ^ Joscelyn, Thomas (27 July 2017). "Breaking: Syrian Army, Hezbollah begin last phase of Qalamoun offensive". Breaking: Syrian Army, Hezbollah begin last phase of Qalamoun offensive. AMN ALl Masdar News. Retrieved 27 July 2017. Breaking: Syrian Army, Hezbollah begin last phase of Qalamoun offensive.
  4. ^ "Last rebel faction leaves mountains on Syrian-Lebanese border alongside displaced". Syria Direct. 14 August 2017.
  5. ^ Jesse Marks (10 August 2017). "Preventing Forced Return in Lebanon and the Greater Levant". The Stimson Center.
  6. ^ "Hezbollah issues ultimatum to Sunni jihadists in Arsal battle". Al Bawaba. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Hezbollah acting alone in Qalamoun: social affairs minister". The Daily Star Newspaper – Lebanon. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Islamic State prepares to evacuate Syria-Lebanon border zone". Reuters. 28 August 2017.
  9. ^ Final Map of the Syrian-Lebanese border after ISIL surrender. Al-Masdar News.
  10. ^ "ISIS forces in east Lebanon, west Syria seek evacuation to Deir Ezzor". al-Masdar News. 23 August 2017.
  11. ^ "More about the ISIS Jurist who surrendered to Hezbollah Militia". Zaman al-Wasl. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  12. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (17 January 2017). "Quwat Dir' Al-Qalamoun: Shifting Militia Links". Syria Comment. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Image". twimg.com.
  14. ^ "Image". twimg.com.
  15. ^ "Image". twimg.com.
  16. ^ a b McDowall, Tom Perry (19 August 2017). "Lebanese army, Hezbollah announce offensives against Islamic State on Syrian border". Reuters.
  17. ^ a b Davison, John (26 July 2017). "Lebanon's Hezbollah faces tough terrain in border battle". Reuters. Archived from the original on 26 July 2017.
  18. ^ "After deal, IS allowed to leave Syria-Lebanon border area". ABC News.
  19. ^ "Three Lebanese soldiers killed in landmine on Syria border: security source". Reuters. 20 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Dozens of Daesh surrender to Hezbollah in Qalamoun". The Daily Star. 25 August 2017.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference notcoord was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  22. ^ Lebanese army, Hezbollah announce offensives against Islamic State on Syrian border Reuters, 19 August 2017.
  23. ^ "ISIL mine kills three Lebanese troops on Syrian border". www.aljazeera.com.