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Battle of al-Bab

Coordinates: 36°22′21″N 37°31′04″E / 36.3725°N 37.5178°E / 36.3725; 37.5178
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Battle of al-Bab
Part of the Turkish military intervention in Syria

Map of the wider Turkish-led operations and the wider campaigns in northern Aleppo
  Syrian Armed Forces & allied groups
  Syrian Democratic Forces
  Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
  FSA groups and Turkish troops in Northern Syria
Date6 November 2016 – present
(7 years and 9 months)
Standort
Al-Bab District, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Status

Ongoing

  • FSA capture 36 villages from ISIL and 4 villages from the SDF[5][6][7]
  • SDF capture 17 villages, including Arima from ISIL[8][9][10][11]
  • Pro-government forces capture 5 villages from ISIL[12][13]
  • FSA entered al-Bab and captured al-Bab grain silos, and 2 neighborhoods south of al-Bab[14]
Belligerents

Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army

 Türkei		  Islamic State

Syrian Democratic Forces

Syrian Arab Republic[2]

Syrian National Resistance[2][3][4]

Support:
Russland
Commanders and leaders
Türkei Lt. Gen. Zekai Aksakallı[15]
(Operations chief commander)
Türkei Lt. Gen. İsmail Metin Temel[16][17]
(Second Army commander)
Syrian opposition Col. Ahmed Othman[18]
(Sultan Murad Division commander)
Syrian opposition Fehim İsa (Sultan Murad Division commander)[19]
Mahmoud Abu Hamza[20] (Descendants of Saladin Brigade commander)
Syrian opposition Capt. Yussuf Shibli[21] (Qabasin Military Council commander)
Capt. Abdel Salam Abdel Razaq[20] (Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement commander)
Capt. Mohammed Abu Mustafa[22]
(Sham Legion commander)
Abu Jafer[23] (Brigade of Conquest commander)		 Unknown

Adnan Abu Amjad[24] (Manbij Military Council & Northern Sun Battalion commander)

Anwar Khabat[25] (Euphrates Liberation Brigade commander)
Units involved

Türkei Turkish Armed Forces

Syrian opposition Hawar Kilis Operations Room


Other Syrian rebels
Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement[36]
Ahrar al-Sham[36][37]

Muntasar Billah Brigade[38]		 Unknown

Syrian Democratic Forces

Syrian National Resistance[2]

Syrian Armed Forces

Strength
Syrian opposition 1,500+ rebel fighters[43]
Türkei 300 commandos, 40 tanks, 15+ armoured personnel carriers[44]		 300 militants (in al-Bab)[43] Syria 10,000 soldiers[4]
Casualties and losses
45–65 rebels[45] and 7 soldiers killed,[46] 2 soldiers captured/missing[47] 129+ killed[44][48][49][50][51] 79+ killed[52]

The Battle of al-Bab includes a military offensive launched by Syrian rebel groups (including groups affiliated with the Free Syrian Army) and the Turkish Armed Forces north of al-Bab in the Aleppo Governorate, and a separate Syrian Democratic Forces offensive east of the city. The northern operation intends to capture al-Bab from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as part of the Turkish military intervention in Syria.

Background

Main articles: Northern al-Bab offensive (September 2016), Western al-Bab offensive (September 2016), 2016 Dabiq offensive, and Western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016)

After the western al-Bab offensive from the previous month, the rebels moved their focus from the western countryside of al-Bab so to avoid confrontation with the Syrian Democratic Forces, and launched an assault against the Islamic State north of al-Bab.[53]

The offensive

First week

Between 6 and 14 November 2016, the rebels captured 36 villages,[5][6] putting them within 2 kilometers of al-Bab.[54] Meanwhile, the Syrian Democratic Forces captured seven villages east of al-Bab in an attempt to besiege the village of Arima.[6][8][9]

Second week

On 14 November, rebel forces managed to enter the northern outskirts of al-Bab, but were facing stiff resistance, with fighting raging at a livestock market two kilometers north of the town.[48] By this point, al-Bab was surrounded from the north and northwest, with the only retreat route remaining for ISIL to the southeast towards Raqqa, through the ISIL-held town of Dayr Hafir.[54] In the evening, the rebels established fire control over the Jafirah Roundabout and seized several adjacent buildings in the northern part of al-Bab, leaving them in control of less than 5 percent of the city.[9] However, the next day, the rebels were forced to withdraw one kilometer to the north of al-Bab. Meanwhile, the rebels took control of the town of Qabasin, northeast of al-Bab.[7]

The Turkish military stated on 18 November that the FSA had captured five villages in the Karadağ area of al-Rai district and added that it had also hit 80 ISIL targets and a SDF target.[55]

On 19 November, ISIL recaptured Qabasin, as well as one nearby village. This marked the fourth time the town had changed hands in the previous four days.[56]

Third week

On 20 November, the rebels launched two counter-attacks against Qabasin, with both being repelled. The next day, the rebels redirected their assault from al-Bab to the Kurdish-held village of Sheikh Nassir, managing to seize the village in the early morning hours, but losing it in an SDF counter-attack in the afternoon.[57]

Between 22 and 23 November, Qabasin changed hands two more times, ultimately remaining under ISIL control.[58][59][60] On 23 November, the SDF captured Arima. In response, Turkish artillery shelled the SDF-held villages in the area.[11][60][61]

On 24 November, according to the Turkish military, the Syrian Arab Air Force conducted an airstrike against Turkish Special Forces and aligned Turkish-backed rebels north of al-Bab, killing three Turkish soldiers and injuring ten.[62][63] Turkish officials initially stated the casualties were due to an ISIL attack, before blaming the Syrian Air Force. However, the pro-opposition activist group the SOHR disputed it was an air-strike and stated it was in fact an ISIL suicide attack. Additionally, ISIL confirmed it conducted a suicide attack in the area.[64][65] Later, the Turkish Prime Minister’s office issued a gag order on reporting about the airstrike,[63][66] while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu called on the Turkish government to "act with common sense."[66] In the evening, the Syrian Air Force officially denied it or the Russian Air Force had conducted an air-strike against Turkish forces.[67] Concurrently during the day, the SDF, with support of government forces, captured three villages from ISIL west of al-Bab, coming within 10 kilometers of the city.[68][69] The rebels also took two villages east of al-Bab, reaching the main road between al-Bab and Manbij for the first time.[70] A total of 6 Turkish soldiers were killed between 24 and 26 November.[71]

Between 25 and 27 November, the SDF captured two villages from ISIL west of al-Bab, while the rebels took three to the east. Additionally, the rebels launched an attack on two SDF-held villages east of the city, with unclear results. At the same time, pro-government forces also advanced, taking control of four villages from IS west of al-Bab.[12]

Fourth week

On 28 November, the Syrian Army captured a village from the Turkish-backed rebels west of al-Bab, coming within 5 kilometers of the city.[13][72] Turkish military stated that it had killed 11 militants in airstrikes on Baratah, Dana and Zarzur regions.[71] On 29 November, ISIL claimed it had captured 2 Turkish soldiers and their Turkmen translator near al-Dana village, west of al-Bab. The Turkish military confirmed it had lost contact with 2 soldiers, but didn't confirm that ISIL had captured them.[73][74] A FSA commander stated on 2 December that they had been ordered not to advance on the center of the city for the meanwhile.[75] The wider offensive had also slowed down, with no progress being achieved by the rebels on 3 and 4 December.[43]

Fifth week

Turkish military stated that 23 ISIL fighters were killed in airstrikes on 12 targets on 7 December. A Turkish soldier was also killed in a car-bomb attack, while 6 were injured.[76] The rebels captured 2 villages west of al-Bab in a fresh assault on 9 December in addition to the highway between al-Bab and Manbij. Meanwhile, the Turkish military stated that it destroyed 34 ISIL targets in airstrikes and had sent 300 commandos as reinforcement. SOHR stated that at least 12 civilians were killed due to Turkish airstrikes on al-Bab.[44] On 10 December, the rebels captured several areas including in the Aqil Mountains to the west of al-Bab.[77] Meanwhile, Turkish military stated that it had destroyed 39 ISIL targets and killed 36 militants in airstrikes.[78] The rebels entered the city from the northwest later in the day after heavy clashes.[79] The Turkish military stated it had hit 29 ISIL targets on the next day, while 4 ISIL fighters and 2 rebels were killed in clashes.[80]

Sixth week

The Turkish military dropped leaflets on al-Bab on 12 December, urging civilians to seek shelter as the rebels advanced.[80] The rebel advance meanwhile had slowed down due to ditches, mines and explosives left by ISIL.[81]

References

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  5. ^ a b After reaching the edges of al-Bab city… the “Euphrates Shield” factions expand their controlled areas in the vicinity of the city and its countryside
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  8. ^ a b The Syria Democratic Forces are trying to besiege al-Arima and factions of “Euphrates Shield” advance in the vicinity of al-Bab with clashes on its frontiers
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  14. ^ [1] El Bab son durum harita (11 Aralık)
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  45. ^ 1 killed (6 Nov.),[2] 4 killed (7 Nov.),[3] 2 killed (9 Nov.),[4] 4 killed (10 Nov.),[5] 8 killed (11 Nov.),[6] 5 killed (12 Nov.),[7] 2 killed (13 Nov.),[8] 9 killed (14 Nov.),[9] 2 killed (15 Nov.),[10] 2 killed (16 Nov.),[11] 2–22 killed (19 Nov.),[12][13] 1 killed (20 Nov.),[14] 4 killed (24 Nov.),[15] total of 45–65 reported killed
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  50. ^ "DEAŞ'ın barınma yerleri imha edildi".
  51. ^ 9 killed (10 December),[16], 12 killed (11 December), [17],[18]
  52. ^ 10 killed (14 November),[19] 5 killed (15 November),[20] 12 killed (19 November),[21] 1 killed (20 November),[22] 14 killed (21-22 November),[23] 6 killed (23 November),[24] 2 killed (24 November),[25] 7 killed (27 November),[26] 20 killed (28–29 November),[27] 2 killed (1 December), [28] total of 79 reported killed
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  58. ^ Rebels backed by Turkish forces advance over IS in Aleppo countryside
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  67. ^ Fadel, Leith (25 November 2016). "Syrian Air Force denies bombing Turkish Army in east Aleppo".
  68. ^ The Syria Democratic Forces approaching from the west of al-Bab city and control several villages
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  80. ^ a b "Turkish army urges Syrians to seek safety as rebels push on al-Bab". Reuters. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  81. ^ Sevil Erkuş (12 December 2016). "1,000 ditches, booby traps in al-Bab slow down Euphrates Shield operation". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 12 December 2016.

36°22′21″N 37°31′04″E / 36.3725°N 37.5178°E / 36.3725; 37.5178

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