The northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015), dubbed by the rebels as the Battle of Victory, took place in the Idlib and Hama governorates during the Syrian Civil War.
The campaign consisted of a three-pronged attack, with the two main assaults spearheaded by Ahrar al-Sham, Al-Nusra Front and other Islamist factions under the banner of the Army of Conquest, and the remaining attack force including collaboration with Free Syrian Army brigades. The commander of the FSA 13th Division stated that coordinating with other groups such as al-Nusra Front did not mean they were aligned with them. Within days, the rebels captured the city of Jisr al-Shughur and later on an Army base. The success of the campaign was attributed to better coordination between the Syrian opposition's backers. Still, the operation resulted in a high attrition rate for both sides.
Background
On 24 March 2015, the newly established Army of Conquest assaulted Idlib city from three sides and, according to one tweeter, after four days of fighting the rebels captured the city and managed to besiege the towns of Kafarya and al-Fu'a. The rebels then attacked the Mastouma military camp, south of the city, but their attack was repelled. During the following days, the Syrian Army launched an offensive on the nearby town of Ariha, and seized three villages.
The offensive
Rebel capture of Jisr al-Shughur
On 22 April, rebels (organised by the newly created Battle of Victory operations room) launched an offensive against the de facto provincial capital of Idlib governorate, Jisr al-Shughur, threatening to cut off government access to a major highway linking Idlib to Latakia. Other objectives in this offensive were the Brick Factory base (Al-Qarmeed), near Mastouma, and the Al-Ghaab Plain in Hama governorate, where FSA units were tasked with spearheading the cutting of Syrian Arab Army supply lines from the west. An al-Nusra Front suicide bomber detonated a VBIED near the Brick Factory, marking the beginning of the operation. A BMP packed with explosives was also detonated at a checkpoint in the north of Jisr al-Shughur. At the end of 23 April, despite contradictory statements, Jisr al-Shughur was still under control by government troops. Al-Nusra claimed to have sent 15 suicide bombers into the city as part of the assault. Meanwhile, in the Al-Ghaab Plain, a rebel attack on the village of Sirmaniyah was repelled. A car-bomb was detonated in the Sirmaniyah area as well.
By the next day, rebels had captured one checkpoint near the Mastouma base and four checkpoints around Jisr al-Shughur, but clashes still continued at a distance of 2–4 km near of the city. The rebels reportedly also advanced near the city's sugar plant and captured a hill near the Brick Factory base. However, the Syrian Army claimed that it "secured the city" at the cost of 13 soldiers and denied that rebels advanced near the sugar plant. Later that day, rebels captured the strategic Tal Hekmah checkpoint near the road between Jisr al-Shughur and Ariha. Meanwhile, the Syrian Air Force conducted at least 40 airstrikes in Idlib. Later, an opposition source reported that the rebels controlled the three highest points near the town of Furayqah (Tal Muntar, Tal Hamkah and Tal Mantaf), but the road between Jisr al-Shughur and Ariha was still not cut. However, government reinforcements arrived and recaptured the Tal Hekmah checkpoint.
According to the SOHR, since the start of the offensive, 43 rebels, including 13 Chechens, had been killed, government casualties numbered 30 Meanwhile, pro-government sources placed the rebel death toll at 100, with 47 soldiers dying as well. Throughout the first few days of the offensive, FSA brigades such as Fursan al-Haq and the 1st Coastal Division (including notable gunner Osama Abo Hamza) used anti-tank TOW missiles against a number of SAA armored vehicles in the al-Ghaab Plain.
Early on 25 April, rebels captured the sugar plant and later, according to a tweet by a pro-government media figure, a VBIED was detonated at the Ayn Sibeel checkpoint before an al-Nusra Front-led rebel force captured most of the city, with fighting continuing and air-strikes hitting rebel positions. The national hospital and one checkpoint specifically remained under government control at this point, according to one tweeter, as clashes continued in the southwestern part of the city. Meanwhile, the Syrian Army claimed that it had captured the village of Kurin. Soon after, rebels fully secured Jisr al-Shughur, except for the hospital where soldiers were still holed up. Clashes also still continued in the vicinity of the city from the south and east. 60 bodies of government fighters were reportedly seen on the streets. During the SAA's retreat, Syrian Army intelligence executed 23 prisoners at the hospital before withdrawing. The Syrian Air Force launched 30 airstrikes around the city after its fall.
After the seizure of Jisr al-Shughur, rebels captured five villages in the Al-Ghaab Plain and seized the Alawite village of Eshtabraq near Jisr al-Shughur. After taking over Eshtabraq, rebels led by Jabhat al-Nusra reportedly carried out a massacre of over 200 people in the town, with the remaining inhabitants fleeing to neighboring regions of the Ghab plains for safety. In the coming days, 27 people, including 20 rebels were killed by government retaliatory airstrikes on the captured city, according to SOHR.
The next day, government sources claimed troops loyal to the government recaptured the sugar plant and were fighting at the entrance to the city, with one report putting the clashes at around 5 kilometers south of Jisr al-Shughur. Government sources also said the SAA recaptured a village in the Al-Ghaab Plain and opening a corridor from the sugar plant to the soldiers besieged at the hospital in Jisr al-Shughur.
On 27 April, rebels captured the Qarmeed Brick Factory base after launching two suicide attacks. After hours of intense clashes, Syrian troops were forced to retreat after the main facility caught on fire. 19 soldiers were killed, while the Syrian Army claimed to have killed 60–80 rebels. Pro-opposition activist Cédric Labrousse reported that more than 90 were killed on both sides, while the SOHR reported 10 rebel deaths at the base, including the two suicide bombers, and seven tanks, six cannons and a large quantity of ammunition being seized by the rebels. Three SAA tanks were reportedly destroyed as well. After the fall of the Brick Factory base, 14 airstrikes struck the area.
Later, the SAA recaptured the village of Ghaniyah in the Al-Ghaab Plains, while three other villages were contested. According to pro-government sources, the SAA also recaptured a village at Jisr al-Shughur, but lost it again two days later.
As of 28 April, rebels besieged the hospital where soldiers were still continuing to fight. On the same day, a military source reported that Syrian government troops launched a counterattack on the Brick Factory in Idlib. Video footage emerged of Col. Hassan conducting a phone call to Damascus pleading for reinforcements while surrounded by his troops. According to Elijah J. Magnier from the AL RAI newspaper, Damascus had given the order to retake Jisr al-Shughur at all costs. Meanwhile, rebels blew up a bridge in an attempt to block Hama-based government fighters from reaching Jisr al-Shughur.
On 29 April, rebels seized the Musbin area, which links Ariha and Saraqeb. A military source confirmed the loss of the Musbin Quarry, but asserted that the SAA was still in control of the village and its hill. A fourth rebel attack in four days against the hospital was also repelled.
On 1 May, al-Nusra Front carried out a suicide bomb attack on the government garrison inside the national hospital. By the end of the day, the hospital was still under control by government troops. The clashes around the hospital left 14 al-Nusra fighters and "dozens" of government soldiers dead and wounded. By this point, around 5,000 soldiers were holed up at the Mastouma military base, east of Ariha, in Ariha itself, and on the hills surrounding it. The FSA Falcons of al-Gab unit blew up three bridges in an attempt to prevent their potential retreat and used TOW missiles supplied by the United States specifically for this operation.
Syrian Army counter-offensive
On 2 May, SAA units, backed by Hezbollah, launched a counter-attack and recaptured three villages in the al-Ghaab Plain: Al-Misheek, Al-Ziyarah and Tall Waset. The clashes resulted in the death of at least five rebels and five Hezbollah fighters. Military sources additionally stated that Syrian government troops seized a part of Qastoun. The aim of the counter-offensive was to hold and further reinforce supply routes towards Idlib province.
The next day, Syrian government troops advanced around Tall Ma'er tab'i, after an attempted rebel attack was repelled and captured the nearby Tall SyriaTel hill. Government forces also said they advanced from Ghanya towards Eshtabraq. In addition, pro-government sources said the SAA started an operation to encircle the rebel-held Al-Sirmaniyah.
On 4 May, the seventh rebel attack in seven days on the National Hospital was repelled, according to pro-government sources. Rebel forces continued attacking Ariha and Mastouma, as well as Ankawi and Ghab in an attempt to cut off the M4 highway linking Latakia to Idlib and Aleppo, forcing SAA units to defend a weak 30-mile W-shaped defensive line. Rebels reportedly advanced in the Hosh Msibin and Bothayna areas after they destroyed two tanks and recaptured Tal SyrianTel.
On 6 May, government forces launched an attack on the al-Alawin checkpoint and rebels positions on the hills surrounding Frikka, while the Syrian Air Force conducted more than 50 air raids in the area. Government troops (including non-Syrian militia) advanced in this area. Meanwhile, rebels claimed to have captured the last hill near Ariha, Tal Ma'ar Tab'i, while the Syrian Arab Army stated the rebel attack on the hill was repelled before nightfall.
On 7 May, the Syrian Army claimed the Tiger Forces managed to recapture the sugar plant near Jisr al-Shughur, after seizing the village of Qarta. Also, 20 airstrikes were reported while the rebels managed to destroy two tanks and another vehicle during clashes around al-Alawin checkpoint and Frikka hills, where it was later reported by the military that the Army captured both the al-Alawin checkpoint and Malta Hill. According to the SOHR, 14 government soldiers and officers, including the Syrian Brigadier General Kemal Dib, were killed in Jisr al-Shughur. The next day, government forces were confirmed to have seized three points between the al-Alawin checkpoint and Frikka hills, while 24 airstrikes were reported. Two of the locations were the villages of Frikka Al-Abeed and Sheikh Elias, while the third was reportedly Al-Karnaza.
On 9 May, government forces advanced towards Jisr al-Shughur, in an attempt to break the siege of the 250 soldiers and family members (including high-ranking officers) at the National Hospital, and came within two kilometers of the hospital. They also reportedly captured Tal Hataab, near Frikka, amid 20 airstrikes in the region.
On 10 May, the rebels launched a new assault on the National Hospital, after a second car bomb was detonated. Rebels managed to enter one of the hospital buildings during the assault, but their attack was repelled, while the Air Force conducted 33 airstrikes throughout the area, of which 22 were around the hospital. The Syrian Army advanced towards the town, but their push towards Jisr al-Shughur hospital was temporarily halted and the rebels managed to recapture three checkpoints, before they were pushed back again during the fighting that continued early into the next day. The clashes at the hospital and attacks on the relief column left 40 rebels and 32 soldiers dead. Elsewhere, the SAA captured Al-Mushayrafat and its hill (Tal Sheikh Al-Khataab), north of Frikka. At the same time, rebels took the Zeizun thermal plant in the al-Ghaab plain, after damaging several government vehicles. Later during the night, rebel forces were forced to retreat from the plant, but were still in control of the nearby village of Zeizun. The thermal plant sustained severe damage during the fighting, according to one social media poster.
On 11 May, clashes continued in and around the hospital and near the sugar plant, where rebels destroyed a tank and government forces recaptured two checkpoints. 14 airstrikes struck rebel positions throughout the day. On the same day, around 20 rebels from the FSA's 101st Division were killed after a failed attack on the village of Kafr Najd, near Ariha.