2017 Mayadin offensive
| 2017 Mayadin offensive | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theEastern Syria campaignand the Russian military interventionin theSyrian civil war | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Russia |
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Maj. Gen.Suheil al-Hassan(Operations chief commander) | Unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 38+ killed(perSOHR)[4] | 180+ killed(per Russia)[5] | ||||||||
The2017 Mayadin offensivewas amilitary offensivelaunched by theSyrian Arab Armyagainst members of theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant(ISIL) in theDeir ez-Zor Governorate,following the breaking of thethree-year siegeof the city ofDeir ez-Zor.The Mayadin offensive, conducted by Syrian Army troops, was conducted with the aim of capturing ISIL's newde factocapital ofMayadin,and securing the villages and towns around it.[2][3]
The offensive was concurrent with theRaqqa campaignconducted by theSyrian Democratic Forces(SDF) againstISIL's former de facto capital cityand stronghold inSyria,as well as theWestern Anbar campaignin Iraq.
The offensive
[edit]The Syrian military advanced within 10 kilometers of ISIL's stronghold of Mayadin on 4 October.[6]Concurrently, pro-opposition monitoring groupSyrian Observatory for Human Rightsclaimed that Russian or Syrian airstrikes killed between 38 and 67 civilians who were crossing theEuphratesby boat nearMayadin.[7]The next day, the Republican Guard, 4th Mechanized Division and 5th Legion made more steady advances, putting them within six kilometers of the city.[2]
Syrian soldiers pushed into the city on 6 October from the west.[8]The following day, government sources claimed roughly half of Mayadin was taken by the Syrian Army,[9]while the airport was also taken.[10]Throughout the day, a wave of Russian airstrikes against ISIL positions near Mayadin and close to the Iraqi border reportedly killed 180 ISIL militants, including a large number of foreign fighters.[5]By 8 October, ISIL forces were reportedly encircled within the city.[11][12]However, the next day, an ISIL counterattack managed to push back Syrian Army troops from Mayadin, with 38 soldiers being killed.[4]
On 10 October 2017, fighting began in the suburbs in preparation to storm the city, according to a source citing SANA.[13]On 11 October, the Syrian Army started encircling Mayadin,[14][15]with the city surrounded by the following day.[16]The Syrian Army then pushed into the western and northern parts of the city,[17]capturing four neighborhoods.[18]
On 14 October 2017, the Syrian Army captured Mayadin city.[1]On the next day, elite Syrian Tiger Forces pushed through much rural territory of Mayadin and made advances towards town ofAl-Asharah,reaching its outskirts.[19]By 17 October, all besieged land between Deir ez-Zor and Mayadin along the Euphrates was captured by the Tiger Forces.[3]
Aftermath
[edit]By 20 October, the Syrian Army had crossed the Euphrates, capturing the village of Dhiban, and just hours later reaching the outskirts of the massiveAl-Omar Oil Fieldcomplex, the largest such oil field in Syria, which in the pre-war era had contributed one quarter of Syria's oil production.[20]In a surprise move, ISIL fighters defending Al-Omar Oil Field launched a powerful counterattack on the government bridgehead at Dhiban, forcing government forces to retreat back to the west bank of the Euphrates. During the same day, the Syrian Army advanced southwards from Mayadin, capturing the city ofAl-Quriyah.[21]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ab"Breaking: Syrian Army liberates ISIS capital city".Al-Masdar.Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2018.Retrieved14 October2017.
- ^abcde"Deir Ezzor update: Syrian Army within striking distance of ISIS capital - map".AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز.2017-10-05. Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-12.Retrieved2017-10-07.
- ^abcAndrew Illingworth (17 October 2017)."Breaking: Elite Syrian forces liberate all of western Euphrates bank from Deir Ezzor to Al-Mayadeen".Al-Masdar News.Archived fromthe originalon 20 February 2018.Retrieved17 October2017.
- ^ab"After killing about 40 members of the regime and getting them away of Al-Mayadin city… the" Islamic State "organization carries out counterattacks to break up the regime forces and kill more of their members".Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^ab"Russia: 180 ISIL fighters and mercenaries killed in air strikes in Syria".7 October 2017.Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"The Latest: Al-Qaida-linked group denies leader was wounded".ABC News.Archived fromthe originalon 13 October 2017.Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"Airstrikes in eastern Syria leave scores dead on the banks of the Euphrates River".Syria Direct.5 October 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2019.Retrieved12 October2017.
- ^"Syrian forces enter one of Islamic State group's last strongholds - France 24".6 October 2017.Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"BREAKING: Elite Syrian Army troops capture 50 percent of ISIS capital city".AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز.2017-10-07. Archived fromthe originalon 2017-10-17.Retrieved2017-10-07.
- ^"Syrian Army liberates Al-Mayadeen Airport to cut key terrorist supply line".AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز.2017-10-07. Archived fromthe originalon 2017-10-18.Retrieved2017-10-07.
- ^Arab, The New (8 October 2017)."Syrian regime 'completely encircle' IS in al-Mayadeen, despite 'mass escape' of jihadi leaders from city".Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"Syrian army encircles IS in al-Mayadin: Syrian military source".Reuters.2017-10-08.Retrieved2017-10-08.
- ^"VIDEO: Syrian Forces combat ISIS in Al-Mayadeen suburbs - Muraselon".10 October 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 18 October 2017.Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"Latest map of Al-Mayadeen battle in Deir Ezzor".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-02-20.Retrieved2017-10-13.
- ^"Avoiding entering a lost battle in Al-Mayadin…the regime forces wrap around the capital of" Al-Khair State "advancing to Mahkan desert in the east of it and shelling the east of the Euphrates River violently".Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"The regime forces and Russian forces besiege the" capital of al-Khair State "and close all land roads with the city's countryside".Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"Syrian government troops push on into IS stronghold town".Fox News.12 October 2017.Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^"The most violent clashes are taking place in Al-Mayadin and the regime forces under the command of the Russian forces take the control of 4 neighborhoods there about 72 hours after they were expelled from the west of the city".Retrieved13 October2017.
- ^Leith Fadel (15 October 2017)."Syrian Army advances past Al-Mayadeen to new town in Deir Ezzor".Al-Masdar News.Archived fromthe originalon 3 November 2018.Retrieved17 October2017.
- ^"Breaking: Syrian Army reaches Al-Omar Oil Field in east Deir Ezzor".AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز.2017-10-20. Archived fromthe originalon 2017-11-09.Retrieved2017-10-20.
- ^http://www.syriahr.com/?p=244713مفاوضات تجري بين وجهاء وتنظيم “الدولة الإسلامية” لتسليم الأخيرة معظم شرق الفرات إلى قوات سوريا الديمقراطية
- Conflicts in 2017
- Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2017
- Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government
- Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Russia
- Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
- October 2017 events in Syria
- Deir ez-Zor Governorate in the Syrian civil war