Palmyra offensive (December 2016)

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For the three previous offensives, see Palmyra offensive (May 2015), Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015), and Palmyra offensive (March 2016).
Palmyra offensive (December 2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Military intervention against ISIL
Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War
Palmyra Offensive (December 2016).svg
Map showing territory captured by ISIL since 8 December 2016.
Date 8 December 2016 – present
(1 week and 2 days)
Location Tadmur District, Eastern Homs Governorate, Syria
Status

Ongoing

  • ISIL captures Palmyra on 11 December,[3] as well as nearby oil fields and mountains
  • ISIL attacks the Tiyas Military Airbase
Belligerents

Syria Syrian Arab Republic
 Russia
 Iran[1]
Allied militias:
Liwa Fatemiyoun[1]
Liwa Zainebiyoun (presumed)[1]
Kata'ib al-Imam Ali[1]
Hezbollah[2]

CJTF–OIR		 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Suheil al-Hassan[4]
(leading operations commander since 14 December)
Iran Brig. Gen. Hassan Akbari †[1][5]
(IRGC Ground Forces commander)		 Unknown
Units involved

Syrian Armed Forces

Russian Armed Forces

Iran Iranian Armed Forces

Liwa Fatemiyoun

  • Hazrat-e Abolfazl Brigade[1]
 Military of ISIL
Strength
1,000 soldiers[6] (by beginning of the offensive)
100+ Hezbollah fighters[2] (since 14 December)		 4,000–5,000 militants[6]
Casualties and losses
100 killed, 200 wounded and 30 missing (per the Army)[12]
120 killed (per SOHR)[13]
480+ killed, 22 captured[14] (pro-ISIL claim)		 149 killed (per The Inside Source)[15]
425 killed (pro-government claims)[12][16][17][18]

The Palmyra offensive (December 2016) is a military operation launched by the military of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leading to the re-capture the ancient city of Palmyra.[3][16] ISIL previously controlled the city from May 2015 until March 2016.

Background[edit]

ISIL captured the ancient city of Palmyra in May 2015 after the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) withdrew from the town.[19] The Syrian Army recaptured the city in March 2016.[20] The group however still held territory in the eastern Homs Governorate and had started carrying out insurgent attacks on the Army after losing the city.[21] The city is historically and internationally important and the offensive comes in background of the group being targeted militarily on its headquarters of Mosul and Raqqa.[22] It is also strategically important as it located close to oil fields. The offensive was launched at a moment when the Syrian and Russian militaries were focused on the Aleppo offensive.[23] The Tiyas Military Airbase is located near to the city. It is an important security installation for the Army as it provides them with close air support. It is also difficult to capture Palmyra without it.[24][25]

The offensive[edit]

ISIL capture of Palmyra[edit]

ISIL launched the offensive in the northeastern countryside of Homs on 8 December 2016, targeting the SAA's defenses near the village of Huwaysis and the Jazal Mountains located north of Palmyra. The group began the attack by sending two waves of fighters to storm its defenses near Huwaysis, resulting in heavy clashes. It was however unable to penetrate the first line of defense and was forced to withdraw. Local media reported that 60 militants were killed, while eight of their armored vehicles were destroyed.[16] The group launched another assault later in the day, with simultaneous attacks near the Jazal, Mahr and Shaer oil and gas fields as well as the areas of Huwaysis, Arak, Palmyra Silos, al-Hayyal Mount, al-Sekkary, the ancient al-Hallabat Palace and the Abandoned battalion near the T4 airbase. It was able to capture 7 checkpoints from the Army which withdrew after heavy clashes. In addition, it also captured the al-Hallabat Palace, al-Hayyal Mount, South Sawamea and Huwaysis. At least 34 pro-government fighters were killed and four, including an officer, were captured. With these advances, the group came within 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of Palmyra.[26][27][28][29][30] The group also captured grain silos northeast of Palmyra[31] as well as the Jazal village and its oil fields.[32] Meanwhile Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve launched a massive air-raid on an ISIS fleet of 168 oil tanker trucks, destroying them.[33]

The SAA counter-attacked on 9 December, to recapture the positions it lost the previous day, in addition to bringing in reinforcements and launching airstrikes. 15 soldiers were killed in an ISIL ambush near the Mahr oil field.[34] The group captured the al-Berej hills, Jihar oil fields, Mahr oil fields as well as a checkpoint near it during the clashes.[35][12]

On 10 December, Army reinforcements arrived in Palmyra.[36] At least 45 militants were killed by the Army, with 3 tanks of the group destroyed near Palmyra Silos. An earlier assault by the group on the silos failed, however it was able to capture them later on, thus reaching the entrance of Palmyra. The Russian Air Force along with Syrian Air Force targeted ISIL positions in oil fields around Palmyra, destroying several armoured vehicles and a number of technical vehicles.[12][37] A Syrian Air Force MiG-23 crashed in the Jazal area. ISIL claimed to had shot it down,[38] while the SOHR reported it was not known whether it crashed due to technical fault or was shot down. Clashes also started taking place around Wadi al-Ahmar where the Army brought reinforcements.[39] The group later captured the Tar Mountain to the west of the city, in addition to the northern suburb of Amiriyeh and entered Palmyra.[40] By the end of the day, they had captured most of the city, including Palmyra Castle,[41] and were on the verge of taking full control of Palmyra.[42] Palmyra's residents were evacuated in the evening by the Army.[43]

Early on 11 December, after the arrival of reinforcements, the Syrian Army, backed by Syrian and Russian air units,[11] launched a successful counterattack to drive out ISIL forces from the city.[17] The militants withdrew to the orchards on the fringes of Palmyra. According to the Russian Defense of Ministry, ISIL suffered over 300 dead.[44] However, later in the day, ISIL launched a new assault on Palmyra after regrouping,[45] entering the city once again and capturing Amiriyeh, its hilltop and the Officers Housing complex.[46] Eventually, ISIL took full control of the city as the Army withdrew south of Palmyra.[3]

Attack on Tiyas Airbase[edit]

ISIL started advancing westwards from Palmyra to the Tiyas airbase (also called al-Taifor and T4 airbase) after the city's capture on 11 December. The group captured two villages to the west of city during the day. It also captured the Abandoned (al-Majora) battalion to the west of the airbase.[47][48] On early 12 December, ISIL launched an attack against the strategically important Jihar Crossroad near the airbase, and captured it after heavy clashes. It also captured al-Mahjora battalion to the west of the base.[49] It later captured security checkpoints in the nearby districts of Mashtal and Qasr al-Hir,[24] allowing it to launch an attack against the airbase, spearheaded by two VBIEDs, resulting in a hours-long battle with the entrenched SAA defenders. Aided by numerous Russian airstrikes, the government forces eventually repelled the assault, as ISIL forces regrouped for another attempt at breaching the airbase's defenses.[9] Meanwhile, hundreds of pro-government reinforcements arrived at the frontline, which belonged to the NDF-affiliated Qalamoun Shield[8] and Golan Regiment.[9] Russia meanwhile carried out airstrikes against ISIL in Palmyra, killing 5 people.[50]

The group attacked the airbase again on 13 December after advancing around it and applied a siege to it. Reinforcements including from the Syrian Army and Russian special forces arrived to the base later in the day.[51][52] During the day, the group advanced on a checkpoint on a road to Al-Qaryatayn.[53] An assault by the group on Tiyas pumping station during the night was repelled.[18] ISIL also captured the main road between al-Qaryatain and Homs during the day. The road was a main supply route for the Syrian Army in Homs Governorate and had been used to supply military reinforcements to the airbase as well as Homs city.[54] The clashes renewed on 14 December, with the Army trying to regain areas it previously lost around the airbase.[55][56] The Army recaptured the Tiyas Mountain as well as the Abandoned Battalion located in the north of the airbase after launching a counteroffensive during early morning.[18] It also regained checkpoints on roads to al-Qaryatayn it had lost a day earlier.[57] ISIL meanwhile captured al-Sharifah village to the west of the airbase.[58] Later that day, ISIL launched another attack on the airbase, but thanks to newly arrived government reinforcements, belonging to the paratrooper forces of Republican Guard's 800th Regiment, the assault was repelled. In the following night, a SAA counter-attack drove ISIL from the airbase's outskirts.[7][59]

The US-led coalition stated on 16 December that it carried out airstrikes near the airbase against ISIL on 15 December, destroying the heavy weaponry it seized after recapturing Palmyra. An air defense artillery system, 14 tanks, 3 artillery systems, 2 ISIL-held buildings and 2 tactical vehicles were destroyed in total.[60] Syrian Army launched another counterattack on 16 December, recapturing the Qaryatayn - T4 crossroads area, thus opening the direct route between the town and the airbase.[61]

Diplomatic reactions[edit]

On 12 December 2016, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented that IS's offensive in Palmyra may have been "orchestrated" to distract forces from militants in eastern Aleppo, and IS's reinforcement moved from Mosul to Palmyra via routes which could have been supervised by the US-led coalition's aviation. Spokemen of Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov noted that IS made use of temporal pause in Mosul and Raqqah offensive to shift reinforcements to Palmyra, and the terrorists were sure that these offensive against them at these sectors would not be renewed. Konashenkov commented that setbacks at Palmyra shows that terrorists should not be allowed to be regrouped.[62][63][64]

France's foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault meanwhile stated that the proof of Russia's stated aim of targeting militants in Syria being false lay in reports that ISIL had retaken Palmyra, while accusing it of being there to save Assad's government and "making Aleppo fall".[65]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Amir Toumaj (15 December 2016). "IRGC officers killed in Palmyra". Long War Journal. Retrieved 15 December 2016. 
  2. ^ a b "Hezbollah reinforcements pour into Palmyra countryside". al-Masdar News. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2016. 
  3. ^ a b c agencies, The New Arab &. "Islamic State recaptures Palmyra after Syria army withdrawal". 
  4. ^ The tiger reach Homs countryside to lead military operations against IS
  5. ^ "IS kills an Iranian commander in Tadmur". SOHR. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016. 
  6. ^ a b c d e f Tomson, Chris (11 December 2016). "ISIS fully retakes Palmyra in stunning blitz offensive – Map update". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 11 December 2016. 
  7. ^ a b Fadel, Leith (16 December 2016). "Elite Syrian Army unit parachutes into Palmyra countryside". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 16 December 2016. 
  8. ^ a b Tomson, Chris (12 December 2016). "Reinforcements arrive near Palmyra as Syrian Army regroups for counter-offensive (Photos)". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  9. ^ a b c d Yakovlev, Ivan (12 December 2016). "Syrian Army repels first ISIS assault on T-4 Airbase, prepares for a second wave". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  10. ^ Fadel, Leith (13 December 2016). "Reinforcements pour into Palmyra countryside as Syrian Army attempts to push back ISIS". 
  11. ^ a b Yakovlev, Ivan (11 December 2016). "Syrian Army counterattacks on Palmyra outskirts in order to secure the city". 
  12. ^ a b c d Yakovlev, Ivan (10 December 2016). "Battle of eastern Homs continues as ISIS keeps attacking: map update". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  13. ^ نظيم “الدولة الإسلامية” يستعيد ضاحية العامرية بأطراف مدينة تدمر ويكبِّد النظام أكثر من 120 قتيل وعشرات الجرحى
  14. ^ Thomas Joscelyn (13 December 2016). "Jihadis celebrate capture of Russian base in Palmyra, Syria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 14 December 2016. 
  15. ^ "The Inside Source on Twitter". 
  16. ^ a b c Fadel, Leith (8 December 2016). "ISIS suffers heavy casualties in failed offensive north of Palmyra". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  17. ^ a b "Russian and Syrian forces drive ISIL out of Palmyra". 
  18. ^ a b c Field report: Syrian Army fights off ISIS near key airbase
  19. ^ Leith Fadel. "Official: Syrian Armed Forces Withdraw from Ancient City of Palmyra". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 22 May 2015. 
  20. ^ Associated Press (27 March 2016). "Syrian forces retake historic city of Palmyra from Islamic State". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 27 March 2016. 
  21. ^ Josie Ensor (9 December 2016). "Islamic State advances to within two miles of Palmyra after surprise attack on Syrian forces". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 December 2016. 
  22. ^ Sirwan Kajjo (9 December 2016). "In Surprise Attack, IS Fights to Retake Ancient Palmyra". Voice of America. Retrieved 9 December 2016. 
  23. ^ "Islamic State fighters 're-enter ancient Palmyra' in Syria". BBC. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  24. ^ a b "After retaking Palmyra, ISIS assaults T4 Airbase near Syria's Homs". ARA News. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016. 
  25. ^ "Syrian reinforcements prevent ISIS from taking Palmyra airbase". Rudaw. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016. 
  26. ^ "IS kills 26 Syria regime fighters in Homs: monitor". 8 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  27. ^ The “Islamic State” advances in new places at Palmyra area in the eastern desert of Homs
  28. ^ Violent and large-attack by the “Islamic State” in Palmyra on sites of the regime forces and on ancient Palace causes tens of casualties and injuries
  29. ^ Fadel, Leith (8 December 2016). "Second attack proves successful for ISIS as they seize Huwaysis in northeast Homs". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  30. ^ "Islamic State makes advances towards Palmyra: monitor". 8 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  31. ^ "Islamic State seizes more ground near Syria's Palmyra - monitoring group". 9 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  32. ^ Fadel, Leith (8 December 2016). "ISIS seizes key oil field northwest of Palmyra". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  33. ^ "Coalition destroys 168 ISIS oil tankers near Palmyra - ARA News". 10 December 2016. 
  34. ^ "Islamic State jihadists kill 49 Syria regime fighters near Palmyra: monitor". 9 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  35. ^ IS advances in Homs countryside over regime forces, and continued clashes in the area
  36. ^ "Islamic State militants enter Palmyra after heavy fighting: monitor". 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  37. ^ Fadel, Leith (10 December 2016). "ISIS reaches Palmyra's gates as the Syrian Army attempts to hold the city". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  38. ^ "The Latest: IS says it shot down Syrian jet near Palmyra". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  39. ^ The Latest: IS says it shot down Syrian jet near Palmyra
  40. ^ "Islamic State re-enters Syria's Palmyra - Xinhua - English.news.cn". Retrieved 10 December 2016. 
  41. ^ Russian warplanes target IS in Tadmur and IS takes almost full control on the city
  42. ^ Fadel, Leith (10 December 2016). "Ancient city of Palmyra on the verge of capture by ISIS". 
  43. ^ Sputnik. "Palmyra Residents Evacuated, Syrian Army Fighting Daesh in Suburbs - Source". 
  44. ^ "Isil retakes historic city of Palmyra". 
  45. ^ "Syrian official says Palmyra falls again to Islamic State". 11 December 2016 – via Reuters. 
  46. ^ Yakovlev, Ivan (11 December 2016). "ISIS terrorists launch another assault on Palmyra capturing several sites". 
  47. ^ Fadel, Leith (11 December 2016). "ISIS seizes two villages west of Palmyra". 
  48. ^ Russian warplanes target IS in Tadmur and IS takes almost full control on the city
  49. ^ Fadel, Leith (12 December 2016). "ISIS seizes important crossroad near Syrian Air Force base". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  50. ^ "Russia, Syria fail to dislodge Daesh from Palmyra". Middle East Monitor. 12 December 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  51. ^ Airstrikes target the eastern countryside of Homs and the “Islamic state” targets T4 airbase again
  52. ^ Russian backups for regime forces in Taifur military airport
  53. ^ Continued clashes around al_Taifor military airport
  54. ^ ISIS militants cut off regime supply route in Syria’s Homs
  55. ^ Continued clashes around al_Taifor military airport
  56. ^ Continued clashes in Homs countryside and around Taifor military airport
  57. ^ "بالفيديو: شاهد لماذا يعزف الجيش السوري داخل مطار التيفور؟" (in Arabic). Al-Hadath News. 14 December 2016. 
  58. ^ The “Islamic State” achieves a new advancement in the eastern countryside of Homs and clashes continue near the T4 airbase
  59. ^ Syrian reinforcements prevent ISIS from taking Palmyra airbase
  60. ^ Coalition strike destroys IS-captured weapons near Palmyra
  61. ^ Field report: Syrian Army counterattacks in east Homs, recaptures several sites
  62. ^ Arah el Deeb and Zeina Karam (12 December 2016). "Syria rebels retreat in Aleppo in 'terrifying' collapse". The Associated Press. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  63. ^ Polina Devitt in Moscow and Aleksandar Vasovic (12 December 2016). "Russia's Lavrov says Syria talks with US at dead end". Reuters. Retrieved 12 December 2016. 
  64. ^ New ISIS offensive on Palmyra proves terrorists should not be given chance to regroup – Russian MoD
  65. ^ Robin Emmott (12 December 2016). "Russia guilty of 'constant lies' over Aleppo, France says". Reuters. Retrieved 13 December 2016. 

External links[edit]

Coalition Airstrike Destroys 168 Da'esh Oil Tanker Trucks in Central Syria

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

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