Battle of Markada
| Battle of Markada | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War | |||||||
|
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 al Nusra Front |
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Abu Mohammad al-Julani (Leader of the Al-Nusra Front) |
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (leader of ISIS) Omar al-Farouk al-Turki † (top provincial ISIS commander)[1] |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 120 killed[2] | |||||||
The Battle of Markada was a military confrontation between two jihadist groups, al Qaeda's al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), over the town of Markada in the Al-Hasakah Governorate, in March 2014 during the Syrian civil war.[2] The strategic importance of the town to the ISIL lay in its position on the group's weapons supply route from Iraq, the road linking Al-Hasakah with Deir ez-Zor and a hill that dominates the surrounding area.[3]
Battle[edit]
The battle started on 21 March 2014,[2] with fighting near Markada's grain silos that left 27 Nusra fighters dead and others missing.[4]
On the morning of 27 March, the ISIS attacked the town, which was being held by the Al-Nusra Front. The ISIS managed to force Nusra to withdraw to the town's hospital and the mountain overlooking Markada.[5]
Before dawn on 29 March, clashes erupted in the town[6] as the ISIS attacked the hospital and Nusra positions in the mountain.[5] After heavy fighting that left 43 Nusra and 13 ISIS fighters dead,[4] the ISIS took full control of the town,[1] with Nusra forces retreating towards the town of al-Sour in the eastern rural area of Deir ez-Zor province. Many Nusra fighters were also captured.[7] Among those killed was also the top provincial ISIS commander,[1] Omar al-Farouk al-Turki.[5]
On 31 March, Nusra launched a counter-attack in an attempt to recapture the town.[4] By this time, the number of those killed since the start of the fighting had risen to 120.[2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "ISIS seizes town from Nusra in Hassakeh province". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Syrian army retakes key post in regime bastion Latakia". Your Middle East. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ "At least 52 dead fighters from the front and the victory of the Islamic State". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Syria killed 30 Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant Brive-Hasakah". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Organization "Daash" controlled Mrkdh, and mourns his military commander in the Al-Hasakah". كلنا شركاء في الوطن. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ "A bomb explosion in Deir al-Zour and clashes in Al-Hasakah". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ^ "ISIS kills 35 fighters from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Islamic battalions". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
Coordinates: 35°44′00″N 40°46′00″E / 35.7333°N 40.7667°E
