Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man (2016)

Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War and Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
Date13 March 2016
LocationMaarat al-Numaan and Khan Shaykhun, Idlib Governorate, Syria
Result

Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Asqa victory

  • Al-Nusra Front fully captures Maarat al-Nu'man and Khan Shaykhun[1]
  • Majority of Division 13's leaders captured[2]
Belligerents
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army Al-Nusra Front
Jund al-Aqsa
Commanders and leaders
Syrian opposition Lt. Col. Ahmad al-Saud
(Division 13 chief commander)
Syrian opposition Maj. Mousa al-Khalad[3]
(Division 13 commander)
Syrian opposition Zaher al-Ahmad (POW)
(56th Infantry Brigade commander)[4]
Syrian opposition Capt. Ali al-Salloum (POW)
(Victory Brigade commander)[5]
Syrian opposition Zakaria Quitaz
(Division 13 media official)[4]		 Abu Mohammad al-Julani
(Jabhat al-Nusra Emir)[6]
Units involved

Division 13  [6]

  • Victory Brigade[5]
  • 56th Infantry Brigade[4]
 Unknown
Strength
Entire division: around 1,000 fighters Unknown
Casualties and losses
7 killed,[1] 40+ captured[6] 4 killed[1]

On 13 March 2016, jihadists fighters from al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Aqsa launched an overnight attack against the 13th Division headquarters in the town of Maarrat al-Nu'man. According to social media activists in support of the Syrian opposition, Jabhat al-Nusra attacked Division 13 over local protesters and demonstrations.[7][8][9]

Division 13 capture

The Division headquarters located in Maarat al-Nu'maan was overrun in a nighttime attack by a joint Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Asqa assault force.[5] Two Division storage facilities that were allegedly filled with the U.S. manufactured anti-tank TOW missiles were surrendered to the attackers.[8] This claim was denied by Division 13 leader Ahmad al-Sa'aoud, insisting Al-Nusra Front captured only 'light weapons and ammunition' and that all of the groups anti-tank missiles and mortars were secured.[10] The Division 13’s depots in Maarat al-Nu'maan and three nearby towns were overrun; Hesh, Khan Shaykhun and Tal Aas. An unspecified number of armored vehicles and a tank were reportedly captured.[6][5][11] Al-Nusra fighters conducted door-to-door searches, ultimately detaining 40 Division fighters including several top leaders of the rebel group. By the end of the battle, Division 13 abandoned all its posts in Maarat al-Nu'man and the bulk of its leadership fled to Turkey.[12] However, civilians opposed to the takeover took to the streets and stormed Nusra's HQ in the city, freeing some prisoners.[13] A total of 11 combatants died during the clashes.[5]

Aftermath

Unrest and civilian resistance against al-Nusra rule continued for coming months. On 12 June 2016, a demonstration took place in Maarat al-Nu'man against al-Nusra's authoritarianism, with protestors calling Abu Muhammed al-Jolani an "Iranian nark".[14]

From 6 to 8 June, clashes broke out between Tahrir al-Sham and Sham Legion in Maarrat al-Nu'man. The 13th Division and the Free Police joined the fighting on 8 June. By the evening of 8 June, HTS captured both the 13th Division and the Sham Legion's headquarters in Maarat al-Nu'man and killed Col. Tayser al-Samahi, the head of the Free Police in the town.[15] On 9 June, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the Free Idlib Army and Tahrir al-Sham in the town and the latter ordered the 13th Division to be disbanded.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 11 Fighters killed in clash between the Division 13 and Al-Nusra in the countryside of Idlib and al-Nusra storm Maarrat al-Nu’man and Khan Shaykhun
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ Barnard, Mark Mazzetti, Anne; Schmitt, Eric (6 August 2016). "Military Success in Syria Gives Putin Upper Hand in U.S. Proxy War" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nusra accused of kidnapping FSA commander". Now News. 20 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Division 13 evacuate most of its headquarters in the southern countryside of Idlib and clashes between them against Jabhat Al-Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa in Maarrat al-Nu'man area and tension prevails in the area". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "MIDEAST - Al-Qaeda in Syria clashes with rebels, seizes weapons". Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  7. ↑ Fadel, Leith. "Rebel infighting results in Nusra capturing U.S. manufactured missiles". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  8. 1 2 "Al-Qaida seizes weapons, bases from US-backed Syrian rebels". 680 NEWS. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  9. ↑ Fadel, Leith. "Nusra captures Division 13 headquarters in Ma'arat Al-Nu'man". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  10. ↑ "Syrian rebel commander says Nusra Front seized 'light weapons and ammunition'". Reuters. 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  11. ↑ "Al-Qaida seizes weapons and bases from US-backed Free Syrian Army". Mail Online. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  12. ↑ "FSA exits strategic city in Syria's Idlib after warring with Nusra". en.abna24.com. 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  13. ↑ "Syria: Maarat al-Numan civilians protest against al-Qaeda's Nusra Front after attack on US-backed rebel group". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 2016-03-14.
  14. ↑ Adra, Zen (12 June 2016). "Syrians protest against Nusra in Idlib". Al-Masdar News.
  15. ↑ "(Edit Sham) controls the headquarters of the band (13) and Sham Corps in Maart". All4Syria. 8 June 2017.
  16. ↑ "Agreement ending the clashes Maart on his head solution band 13". All4Syria. 10 June 2017.

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