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East Hama offensive (2017)

Coordinates: 34°33′36″N 38°16′02″E / 34.5600°N 38.2672°E / 34.5600; 38.2672
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Eastern Hama offensive (2017)
Part of the Syrian Civil War and the Russian military intervention in Syria
Date31 May – 18 June 2017
(2 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Result

Limited Army gains[2]

  • Offensive stalled
  • Syrian army capture 2 towns, 4 villages and a hilltop
Belligerents

Syria Syrian Arab Republic

 Russia
Allied militias:
Liwa al-Quds
Hezbollah[1]
Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Units involved

Syrian Armed Forces

Russian Armed Forces

Hezbollah[1]

Islamic State Military of ISIL

The Eastern Hama offensive (2017) was a military operation conducted by the Syrian Army against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with the goal to secure the Ithriyah-Sheikh Hilal road, the government supply line towards Aleppo, and advance towards Wadi Auzain.[16]

The offensive

[edit]

On 31 May, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies, supported by the Russian Air Force, began an offensive towards the IS stronghold of Uqayribat,[17] in the eastern part of the Salamiyah District in Hama Governorate.[18] The next day, a new batch of government reinforcements arrived for the offensive.[19] Uqayribat had been used by ISIL as a launching pad for attacks on Salamiyah. On 3 June, Syrian and Russian warplanes carried out more than 30 air strikes ISIL positions. Heavy artillery and missiles were also used.[20]

During the morning of 5 June, the Syrian Arab Army, supported by the NDF, started an operation on a second axis against ISIL to the south of Sheikh Hilal. Before the ground attack, ISIL positions were hit by non-stop air strikes and artillery shelling.[21] The next day, the Army captured two towns south-east of Sheikh Hilal.[16]

On 12 June, the Syrian Army sent technicals, anti-aircraft guns and artillery pieces mounted on trucks to the area.[22] Four days later, government forces restarted the offensive, capturing the large hilltop of Tal Dabbart Debah and then shifting their attention to the Aqareb Dam.[23] During 18 June, the Army captured four villages north of Uqayribat, along the road between Ithriya and Al-Saan.[24][25] On 13 July, Desert Hawks alongside NDF and Liwa al-Quds secured villages of Um Tuwaynah, al-Hardaneh and al-Qatshiyah, south of Salamiyah-Ithriyah road, thus securing the supply line to Aleppo city.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b "New Deaths of Hezbollah militia in Syria". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 13 May 2017. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Map + field report: Military situation in eastern Syria – June 27, 2017". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (24 December 2016). "The Fifth Legion: A New Auxiliary Force". Syria Comment. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  4. ^ Tomson, Chris (11 December 2016). "ISIS fully retakes Palmyra in stunning blitz offensive – Map update". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 11 December 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b Tomson, Chris (2 March 2017). "Islamic State retreats from Palmyra amid stunning Syrian Army offensive". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  6. ^ Fadel, Leith (11 February 2017). "Syrian special forces leave west Palmyra for east Aleppo". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Ivan Sidorenko on Twitter". Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ @ISIS_Hunters (2 March 2017). "#ISIS_Hunters entered neighborhoods of #Palmyra Sweep and clear operation started #Syria #Daesh #ISIS #سوريا #تدمر…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Fadel, Leith (16 December 2016). "Elite Syrian Army unit parachutes into Palmyra countryside". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  10. ^ Who are the pro-Assad militias in Syria? Middle East Eye, 25 September 2015
  11. ^ Tomson, Chris (2 March 2017). "Islamic State retreats from Palmyra amid stunning Syrian Army offensive". Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  12. ^ Leith Fadel (23 February 2016). "Exclusive: Over 900 Syrian Marines join elite military shield forces". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017.
  13. ^ Yakovlev, Ivan (20 December 2016). "The fall of Palmyra: Chronology of the events". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  14. ^ Fadel, Leith (12 February 2017). "Russian special forces arrive in west Palmyra". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  15. ^ a b Albin Szakola (16 December 2016). "Hezbollah deploys to Palmyra front: report". NOW. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  16. ^ a b "Syrian Army recaptures new points from ISIS in east Hama". AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. 6 June 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Syrian Army, Russian forces launch fresh offensive against ISIS in Eastern Hama". 31 May 2017. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Moscow sees positive military and political developments in Syria". Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Prominent pro-government unit to participate in East Hama offensive against ISIS (PHOTOS)". 1 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Syrian, Russian airstrikes hammer ISIS in east Hama". 3 June 2017. Archived from the original on 18 September 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  21. ^ "Pictures: SAA launches massive operation against ISIS in east Hama countryside". 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  22. ^ "VIDEO: Syrian Army sends nearly 100 military vehicles to defeat ISIS in eastern Hama". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  23. ^ "Syrian Army advances against ISIL in east Hama". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Syrian Army captures four villages in eastern Hama". AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. 18 June 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  25. ^ Syrian Civil War Map
  26. ^ "BREAKING: Pro-Syria forces achieve major advance against ISIS in east Hama". AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. 13 July 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.

34°33′36″N 38°16′02″E / 34.5600°N 38.2672°E / 34.5600; 38.2672