2013 Hama offensive
{{For|other battles in this location|Battle of Hama (disambiguation)}}
{{Short description|Military operation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict= 2013 Hama offensive
|partof= the Syrian civil war
|image=2013 Hama Offensive.svg
|image_size = 300px
|caption= Frontlines in Hama Governorate during the offensive.
{{leftlegend|#EDC4BE|Syrian Government control}}
{{leftlegend|#CDEBC9|Opposition control}}
{{leftlegend|#B6A25F|Contested}}
For a war map of the current situation in Hama, see here.
|date= 25 April 2013 – 15 June 2013
({{Age in months, weeks and days|month1=4|day1=25|year1=2013|month2=06|day2=15|year2=2013}})
|place= Hama Governorate, Syria
|result= Syrian Army victory{{cite web|url=http://breakingnews.sy/en/article/18550.html|title=Syrian Army frees 13 villages in Hama and operates military campaigns in Latakia.|author=شبكة عاجل الإخبارية|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025151613/http://breakingnews.sy/en/article/18550.html|archive-date=25 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2013/06/02/1640777-syrie-assaut-contre-qousseir-3eme-semaine-26-morts-pres-alep.html|title=Syrie: l'assaut contre les rebelles de Qousseir entre dans sa 3ème semaine|author=AFP|work=LaDépêche.fr|access-date=25 October 2014}}
- Rebels temporarily capture 10 villages, including four Alawite ones[http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/world/middleeast/syrian-rebels-attempt-shift-from-guerrilla-tactics.html Syrian Rebels Meet Setbacks on a New Front]
- Syrian Army captures Halfaya and 20–23 other villages, including most of the ones previously captured by the rebels
|combatant1=Syrian National Coalition
- {{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} Free Syrian Army
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Knights of Justice Brigade.svg}} Knights of Justice Brigade
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front (Variant).svg}} Al-Nusra Front
|combatant2={{nowrap|{{flagicon|Syria|1980}} Syrian Arab Republic}}
- {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces (1980–2024).svg}} Syrian Armed Forces
|commander1= {{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} Kassem Saadeddin{{cite news|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/12/17/255673.html|title=Syria's PM in first Aleppo visit since outbreak of fighting|last=AFP|date=17 December 2012|publisher=Al-Arabiya|access-date=19 December 2012}}
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Knights of Justice Brigade.svg}} Fares Bayoush
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front (Variant).svg}} Abu Usamah al-Maghrebi
|commander2=Unknown
|units1=Unknown
|units2= 17th Mechanized Division(Reserve)
|strength1=8,000 fighters
|strength2=2,300 soldiers
1,000 militia
|casualties1=
|casualties2=
|casualties3=
}}
{{Campaignbox Syrian uprising}}
The 2013 Hama offensive was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels during the Syrian Civil War in the eastern part of the province of Hama, in an attempt to open up a new front, after rebel attacks in the governorate had stalled. The rebels managed to capture 10 villages during their offensive. However, the Army soon retaliated and reversed all of the rebels gains, as well as capturing the town of Halfaya, which the rebels captured during their previous offensive, five months earlier.
Offensive
=Opening rebel attacks=
On 25 April, rebel forces launched an attack in Hama city, where heavy clashes erupted for the first time in months as rebels tried to relieve pressure on their forces under attack from government troops elsewhere in the country.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-crisis-hama-idUSBRE93O0I020130425|title=Syria rebels launch attack in central Hama after months of calm|work=Reuters|date=25 April 2013 |access-date=25 October 2014}} The next day, clashes occurred in the neighborhood of Tariq Halab between the Army and the rebels. Video footage emerged of several soldiers being burned alive in an armored vehicle.{{cite web|url=http://en.firatnews.com/news/news/another-deadly-day-in-syria.htm|title=Another deadly day in Syria|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025150603/http://en.firatnews.com/news/news/another-deadly-day-in-syria.htm|archive-date=25 October 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
=Army captures Halfaya and rebels advance=
On 10 May, a cease-fire agreement between government and rebel forces in Halfaya broke down. Heavy shelling of the town started in which 25 people were reportedly killed.{{cite web|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/syria-crisis-idINDEE9490CA20130510|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305212959/http://in.reuters.com/article/syria-crisis-idINDEE9490CA20130510|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 March 2016|title=Army shelling kills 25 in Syrian town after truce ends|access-date=25 October 2014}} Government forces tightened the siege on Halfaya and the town of Aqrab, shutting down communications in the area. The shelling of Halfaya and Aqrab was seen as preparation to storm the towns.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/syrias-assad-says-he-wont-step-down-before-election-raising-new-questions-about-diplomacy/|title=Syria's Assad says he won't step down before election, raising new questions about diplomacy|work=Fox News|access-date=25 October 2014}}
On 17 May, rebels captured four Alawite villages in the eastern part of Hama province. The villages were abandoned by its residents days before the rebels arrived. The villages in question were Tulaysiyah, Zoghbe, Shaata and Balil. Their takeover followed several weeks of fighting after which the Army withdrew from the area.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/May-18/217569-syria-rebels-seize-alawite-villages-in-hama-activists.ashx#axzz2TfkY0YcN|title=Syria rebels seize Alawite villages in Hama: activists|work=The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112004729/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/May-18/217569-syria-rebels-seize-alawite-villages-in-hama-activists.ashx#axzz2TfkY0YcN|url-status=dead}}
On 19 May, the Syrian Army took control of Halfaya after rebel forces retreated from the town. The takeover was reportedly followed with the burning of homes by government troops{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/370747853033559|title=Hama province 1|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}} and the execution of 15 people by pro-government militias, according to the opposition.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/May-24/218129-opposition-15-executed-in-halfaya.ashx#axzz2UOsNsFBA|title=Opposition: 15 executed in Halfaya|work=The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-date=3 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103080214/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/May-24/218129-opposition-15-executed-in-halfaya.ashx#axzz2UOsNsFBA|url-status=dead}}
On 23 May, rebels reportedly took control of three more villages in the eastern part of the province.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/372289992879345|title=Hama province 2|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}}
On 24 May, government forces raided the town of Ma'arzaf,{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/372516166190061|title=Hama province 3|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}} and two days later captured the village of Rihya.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/373436769431334|title=Hama province 4|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}}
=Army counter-attack=
On 1 June, after heavy fighting, the Syrian Army recaptured the two Alawite villages of Tulaysiyah and Janineh{{cite web|url=http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/817254/syrie-larmee-reprend-le-controle-de-2-localites-a-majorite-alouite-a-hama.html|title=Syrie: l'armée reprend le contrôle de 2 localités à majorité alouite à Hama|work=L'Orient-Le Jour|date=June 2013 |access-date=25 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/960/Buitenland/article/detail/1644196/2013/06/01/Syrische-leger-herovert-twee-plaatsen-in-Hama.dhtml|title=Syrische leger herovert twee plaatsen in Hama|work=HLN|access-date=25 October 2014}} and on 2 June they recaptured the Alawite village of Zoghbe, after the withdrawal of rebel forces, according to SOHR.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/376091249165886|title=Hama province 5|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}}
By 3 June, the Army had captured 13 villages in Hama province during their offensive, including the ones captured by the rebels earlier in the operation, according to state TV and SOHR.{{cite web|url=http://www.islamicinvitationturkey.com/2013/06/03/syrian-army-frees-13-villages-in-hama-and-operates-military-campaigns-in-latakia/|title=Syrian Army frees 13 villages in Hama and operates military campaigns in Latakia.|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025144104/http://www.islamicinvitationturkey.com/2013/06/03/syrian-army-frees-13-villages-in-hama-and-operates-military-campaigns-in-latakia/|archive-date=25 October 2014|url-status=dead}}
According to the Syrian news agency SANA, by 10 June, the Syrian military captured six more villages in eastern Hama.{{cite web|url=http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/06/10/486700.htm|title=Army Units Eliminate Terrorists, Discover Field Hospital and Tunnel with Weapons in Homs|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730050239/http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/06/10/486700.htm|archive-date=30 July 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} Three days later, the capture of three of those six villages, as well as one other, was confirmed by SOHR.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/381222741986070|title=Hama province 6|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}}
At dawn on 13 June, rebels seized an Army position on the northern edge of the town of Morek, in fighting that killed six soldiers and two rebels. Later in the day, the Army shelled the base and sent reinforcements in an attempt to recapture the post.{{cite web|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/06/13/07/17/syria-helicopter-raid-gets-lebanon-warning|title=Syria rebels seize key army position|work=news|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125115930/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/06/13/07/17/syria-helicopter-raid-gets-lebanon-warning|archive-date=25 January 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/13/death-toll-syrian-conflict-93000|title=Confirmed death toll in Syrian conflict nearly 93,000, says UN|author=Ian Black|work=The Guardian|date=13 June 2013 |access-date=25 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/06/13/syrian_rebels_fight_for_key_army_base/|title=Syrian rebels fight for key army base|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-date=19 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019092827/https://www.salon.com/2013/06/13/syrian_rebels_fight_for_key_army_base/|url-status=dead}}
On 14 June, fighting took place in the village of Um Meil, to the east of Salamiyah, with the Army capturing the village.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/381592611949083|title=Hama province 7|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}} The next day, after fierce fighting, the Syrian Army took control of the towns of Rasm al-Abd and Rasm al-Awabed,{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/382168088558202|title=Hama province 8|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}} southeast of Salamiyah.{{cite web|url=http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/06/15/487659.htm |title=The Army seizes control of towns in Eastern Ghouta, Aleppo and Hama Countryside |access-date=25 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619021207/http://sana.sy/eng/337/2013/06/15/487659.htm |archive-date=19 June 2013 |df=dmy }}
Aftermath
On 7 July, the Syrian Army captured the town of Hayalin.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/syriahroe/posts/390547044386973|title=Hama province 9|website=Facebook |access-date=25 October 2014}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Syrian civil war}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hama offensive 1}}
Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2013
Category:Hama Governorate in the Syrian civil war
Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government
Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Free Syrian Army