Hama offensive (September 2017)
The Hama offensive (September 2017), code-named Oh Servants of God, Be Steadfast, was a military offensive launched by rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) north of the city Hama, as part of the Syrian Civil War.[1][19]
The offensive[edit]
Prelude[edit]
A Russian military police platoon (29 servicemen) deployed as part of the de-escalation observation forces in the Idlib de-escalation zone was on the night of 18 September encircled and trapped by rebels, including Jabhat al-Nusra, as a result of their offensive against the Syrian troops positioned north and northeast of Hama; the encirclement was breached by Russian forces several hours later by the early hours of 19 September in a special operation leaving three servicemen of the Special Operations Forces were wounded in the rescue operation. The Russian ministry stated that according to their intelligence, the rebels′ ″offensive was initiated by the US special agencies in order to stop the successful advance of the Syrian Arab Army to the east from Deir ez-Zor″.[20][21][22]
Tahrir al-Sham-led attack[edit]
On 19 September, members of Tahrir al-Sham, alongside the TIP and militants aligned to the FSA, launched an offensive on pro-government and Russian Armed Forces positions overseeing the process of the de-escalation of the zone in the province of Idlib following an agreement with Turkey and Iran in negotiations in Astana in May 2017.[1][23][24] Reports of the ensuing fighting were contradictory.[24] The rebels initially captured four villages,[25] but after back-and-forth fighting[26] during which the villages changed hands several times,[27][28][29] government forces recaptured all of the villages by 22 September.[4] Russia stated it had killed 850 rebel fighters by 21 September.[30] In contrast, SOHR reported that 66 rebels and 38 soldiers were killed during the offensive,[15] as well as more than 40 civilians over two days in nearly 500 air-strikes on about 40 towns and villages in retaliation for the rebel offensive.[31] There were also rebel claims of government and Russian airstrikes on civilian targets in Idlib, including medical facilities.[24] The Russian Air Force and Russian Navy conducted air and cruise missile strikes against HTS targets, reportedly including a large military camp.[32][33] The US State Department accused Syria and Russia, besides bombing civilian targets, of also targeting medical facilities.[34] One of the three allegedly bombed hospitals[35] was the al-Rahma clinic in Khan Shaykhun, which treated victims of the chemical attack there in April.[36]
Aftermath[edit]
On 6 October, HTS launched an attack northeast of Hama, capturing al-Msherfeh and several other nearby areas. However, the military recaptured most of the territory lost the next day,[48][49] except al-Msherfeh and Tal Aswad.[50] At least 12 rebels were killed in the fighting,[51] as well as eight government soldiers.[52] On 8 October, the rebels captured Abu Dali and Tal Maqta'a.[53]
On 6 November, Tahrir al-Sham alongside Jaysh al-Izza, Jaysh al-Nasr and the Central Division began a large-scale offensive, capturing three villages in the northern countryside of Hama.[54][55] However, one day later, one village was recaptured by the Syrian Arab Army after a full day of clashes against the rebels.[56] During the morning of 8 November, a second village was recaptured.[57][58]