Siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa

The Siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa during the Syrian Civil War was laid by rebels to capture two Syrian government-held towns north of Aleppo, after they had seized most of the northern countryside in July 2012. The siege was lifted on 3 February 2016, as a result of a Syrian government offensive.[15]

Siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa
Part of the Syrian Civil War

Syrian Army soldiers in the towns after the siege's end, with a flag of the local "Soldiers of the Mahdi" (Imam Hujja Regiment) militia in the foreground
Date19 July 2012 – 3 February 2016
(3 years, 6 months, 2 weeks and 1 day)
Location
Nubl and Al-Zahraa, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Result

Decisive Syrian Army victory[1]

Belligerents
Free Syrian Army[2][3]
Islamic Front[3]
al-Nusra Front[3]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[4]

Syrian Arab Republic

 Iran
 Russia (from late 2015)
Allied militias:
Hezbollah
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba[5]
Commanders and leaders

Abu Qudama al-Urduni †[6]
(Al-Nusra commander of Harim and Salqin)
Sheikh Mahmoud al-Khayr †[7]

Abu ‘Isma’aeel al-Hamwi †[7]		 Mohsen Ghajarian †
Units involved

Free Syrian Army

Syrian Armed Forces

Iranian Armed Forces

Russian Armed Forces

Lebanese and Syrian Hezbollah

Strength
Unknown 3,000 NDF fighters[14]
125 Lebanese Hezbollah fighters[14]

Background
Main articles: 2012 Aleppo Governorate clashes and Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016)

Fighting in the Aleppo Governorate began on 10 February 2012. Over the next five months, major clashes left large parts of the rural countryside under rebel control, while the provincial capital, Aleppo city, remained firmly under government control. On 19 July 2012, rebel forces stormed the city and the battle for Aleppo began,[16] which reached a stalemate by September that dragged on over the following years, with the city divided between the two opposing forces.

Siege
See also: Siege warfare
Map of the siege

The majority-Shiite towns of Nubl and al-Zahraa, with a combined population of 35,000–60,000,[17][18] were placed under siege by the opposition group the Free Syrian Army (FSA), starting in July 2012. Movement out of Nubl was severely curtailed and relied on goods being airlifted by the Syrian Army. Although relations between the inhabitants of Nubl and the surrounding villages were normally friendly, during the ongoing Syrian Civil War, anti-government supporters from nearby Sunni villages claimed that Nubl and al-Zahraa hosted pro-government militias that launched attacks against opposition supporters. There were numerous tit-for-tat kidnappings between Nubl and pro-opposition villages in the vicinity.[19][20] After months of rebel siege and continuous reciprocal kidnappings, popular committees in the two towns agreed to begin negotiations with Sunni rebels on 27 March 2013. The agreement to negotiate was organised by Kurdish parties from the neighbouring Kurd Dagh region, controlled by the Kurdish-led PYD. The talks were to be brokered by Kurds, and several kidnapped individuals had been freed on both sides.[21] Over the following years, the only land route that brought some food and essential goods came from the Kurdish-held town of Afrin, to the north.[18]

In mid-2013, 125 Hezbollah fighters were sent via helicopters to reinforce the government defenses.[14]

In February 2014, al-Qaeda's al-Nusra Front and other Islamist groups captured the al-Ma’amel industrial area in the south of al-Zahraa.[22]

On 23 November 2014, the al-Nusra Front, along with other Islamist factions, started a three-front assault on the two towns and seized the industrial area southeast of al-Zahraa.[23] They also advanced into the eastern outskirts of Nubl, which they targeted with dozens of mortar shells and dozens of hell cannon shells, after capturing buildings that were part of the first government line of defense. Beside the regular government troops, the towns were defended by its villagers.[24] By the next day, both areas were recaptured by government forces.[7] Between eight and 43 rebels were killed during the two-day offensive.[24][7]

Local civilians greet Syrian Army soldiers following the siege's end

On 8 January 2015, a new rebel offensive, led by the al-Nusra Front, was launched against Nubl and Al-Zahraa. The first attack wave succeeded in breaking the first defensive line in both East Nubl and South Al-Zahraa in the factory area and lasted during the night. The attack was repelled by NDF and Hezbollah troops leading to the death of 14 rebels and 11 pro-government fighters. The rebels also lost four tanks,[25] three of which were seized.[26] Before being forced to retreat from the eastern part of Nubl, the rebels managed to capture the town's first and second roundabouts.[27] During the fighting, a series of air raids reportedly destroyed rebel reinforcement convoys coming from Al-Maayer.[14] The next day, according to pro-government sources, a second attack was also repelled.[28] By 14 January, the military secured Nubl and claimed that al-Nusra suffered 250 dead during the offensive.[14]

In mid-February, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies launched a major offensive in the northern Aleppo countryside, with the aim of cutting the last rebel supply routes into Aleppo city, and relieving the rebel siege of Nubl and Al-Zahraa.[29] They quickly captured several villages,[30] but bad weather conditions and an inability to call up reinforcements stalled the government offensive.[31] A few days later, the rebels launched a counter-offensive, retaking two of four positions they had lost to Syrian government forces.[32]

During the fighting in February 2015, 18 members of the Iraqi Shiite militant group Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba were reportedly killed while defending Nubl and Al-Zahraa.[5]

On 17 April 2015, the NDF and Hezbollah recaptured the al-Ma'amel industrial area[22][33][34] and by 19 April, Syrian government sources reported that 44 rebels and 12 soldiers had been killed.[35] From October, the Iranian Air Force began to airdrop supplies for Nubl and al-Zahraa using two Lockheed C-130 Hercules.[13]

Local civilians greet soldiers who broke the siege.

On 1 February 2016, a new offensive was launched by the military to reach Nubl and Al-Zahraa. By 2 February, they had captured three villages and part of a fourth, advancing to within three kilometers of the two besieged towns. Throughout 1 and 2 February, 320 air-raids were conducted against the rebels.[36] At the same time, Hezbollah and government fighters from Nubl and Al-Zahraa launched their own assault and reportedly managed to gain some ground on the outskirts of the nearby town of Bayanoun.[17] On 3 February, the military had finally broken the rebel siege on the two Shiite towns, after securing the village of Mu’arrassat al-Khan,[37] where the approaching force and fighters trying to break out from the two towns linked up.[18] The pro-opposition SOHR reported the advance, which also cut the last northern rebel supply route from Turkey to Aleppo city, was assisted by "heavy" Russian air strikes. An opposition politician described the government's encirclement of Aleppo as a "horrible development",[1] while in contrast the mayor of Nubl stated the rebel siege was "cruel and caused much hardship".[18] More than 100 rebels, 64–66 soldiers[12] and 18–45 civilians were killed during the operation.[36][38] Among the dead were 11 rebel commanders,[39] 20 pro-government fighters from the two towns and 14 Iranian IRGC members,[12] including Iranian 2nd Brigadier General Mohsen Ghajarian.[40] In all, more than 500 Russian and Syrian air-strikes and barrel bombs hit rebel positions during the two-day offensive.[41]

The following day, the military advanced further and captured the town of Mayer, adjacent to Nubl and Al-Zahraa,[42] as well as reportedly Kafr Naya.[43] Meanwhile, further north, the Kurdish YPG seized two villages from the rebels.[44]

See also

References
  1. "Syria conflict: Government 'cuts Aleppo rebel supply route'". BBC News. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. UNHRC (2013), p. 22.
  3. sohranas. "The clashes continue around Nasib border crossing, and the helicopters drop 9 barrel bombs on Ibtaa and al- Sheikh Meskin". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  4. https://www.joshualandis.com/blog/assad-regime-jihadis-collaborators-allies/
  5. "Iraqi Shiite Foreign Fighters on the Rise Again in Syria". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  6. "How Jordanians Came to Dominate al-Nusra Front". Al Akhbar English. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. Leith Fadel. "Full Report from Al-Zahra and Nubl: Jabhat Al-Nusra Unable to Infiltrate". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  8. UNHRC (2013), pp. 17, 22.
  9. "Captain Bewar Mustafa: BKK prevents the entry of relief materials to Afrin". Kobani Kurd. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  10. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (15 August 2016). "Syrian Hezbollah Militias of Nubl and Zahara'". Syria Comment. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  11. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (23 May 2016). "The Local Defence Forces: Regime Auxiliary Forces in Aleppo". Syria Comment. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  12. Edward. "The regime forces and militiamen loyal to them control Meyer town adjacent to the Nubl and al-Zahraa, and intense raids target Aleppo neighborhoods and cause casualties and injuries". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights.
  13. Ripley 2018, p. 33.
  14. Leith Fadel. "Aleppo: Al-Nusra Front Suffers an Embarrassing Defeat at Al-Zahra and Nubl". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  15. Laila Bassam (4 February 2016). "Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns: army". Reuters.
  16. Luke Harding and Martin Chulov (22 July 2012). "Syrian rebels fight Assad troops in Aleppo". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  17. Chris Tomson (2 February 2016). "Syrian Army launches massive offensive in northern Aleppo - Map update". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  18. Laila Bassam (4 February 2016). "Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns - army". Reuters UK.
  19. Hendawi, Hamza. In Syria, Sunni rebels besiege Shiite villages. Yahoo News. Originally published by Associated Press. 2012-10-18,
  20. Landis, Joshua. Clinton Helps Shape New Syrian Gov in Exile Syria Comment. 2012-11-01.
  21. "Syria Kurds help Shiite, Sunni fighters negotiate". NOW. AFP. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  22. sohranas. "6 members of NDF and the local militaimen killed during retaking al- Ma'amel area". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  23. "Agathocle de Syracuse". Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  24. "Fighters from Syrian al Qaeda wing close in on Shi'ite village". Reuters. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  25. "Agathocle de Syracuse". Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  26. "Syrian army repels militant attack on northern villages". Al Akhbar English. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  27. "Syria Daily, Jan 9: Are Insurgents Close to Big Victory Near Aleppo, Taking Key Regime Villages?". EA WorldView. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  28. Leith Fadel. "Aleppo: The Al-Nusra Front's Attack on Zahra and Nubl is Repelled Again". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  29. "Syria regime forces launch new Aleppo offensive". AFP. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  30. "Fierce Fighting Near Aleppo as UN Envoy Pushes Truce in City". Associated Press. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  31. "Rebel counter-attack, storms halt Aleppo offensive". The Daily Star. AFP. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  32. "Syrian Rebels Regain Territory Near Aleppo". The New York Times. February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  33. "Syrians urge 'decisive storm' against Assad". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  34. Leith Fadel. "Breaking: NDF and Hezbollah Capture Industrial Area in Northern Aleppo". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  35. Leith Fadel. "Aleppo Report: ISIS Storms Kuweires Airbase; Hezbollah Advances at Al-Zahra". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  36. "Syria regime advances on besieged Aleppo villages". AFP. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  37. Laila Bassam (4 February 2016). "Syrian army and allies breaks rebel siege of Shi'ite towns - army". Reuters UK. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  38. "Syrian army encircles Aleppo as ceasefire talks fade". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  39. "The 'Nimr' Tiger". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  40. "Thousands flee Aleppo as Russian-backed offensive intensifies". Arab News. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  41. Edward. "After more than 500 airstrikes on the northern countryside of Aleppo, the regime forces break the siege of Nubl and al-Zahra'a". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  42. khaled. "قوات النظام والمسلحين الموالين لها تسيطر على بلدة ماير المحاذية لنبل والزهراء وغارات مكثفة تستهدف أحياء بمدينة حلب وتخلف شهداء وجرحى". المرصد السورى لحقوق الإنسان. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  43. Chris Tomson (4 February 2016). "Syrian Army captures Mayir and Kafr Naya in new northern Aleppo offensive - Map update". Al-Masdar News.
  44. "The 'Nimr' Tiger". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-02-25.

Works cited

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