Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh
{{Short description|Operation by the Syrian Army during the Civil War}}
{{Infobox military operation
| name = Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh
| partof = the Syrian revolution and the Syrian civil war
| image =
| caption =
| scope =
| type =
| location = Rastan and Talbiseh, Syria
| objective = Suppress protests
| coordinates =
| planned =
| planned_by = Gen. Maher al-Assad
Gen. Yousef Ismail
Gen. Ali Hamdan{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/node/103558/section/12|title="By All Means Necessary!" - Human Rights Watch|access-date=25 October 2014}}
| target = Opposition protestors
| date = 28 May – 4 June 2011
| executed_by = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Arab Army.svg}} Syrian Army
- 4th Division (42nd brigade)
- 8th Division (60th, 120th, 134th, 167th brigades)
| outcome = Protests suppressed
| casualties = 74 civilians killed{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-06-03-syria-unrest_n.htm|title=Army shells town as Syrians protest; 2 killed|work=USATODAY.COM|access-date=25 October 2014}}
| fatalities =
| injuries =
}}
{{Campaignbox civil uprising phase of the Syrian Civil War}}
The siege of Rastan and Talbiseh was an operation by the Syrian Army during the Syrian revolution. On 28 May 2011, after protests and an armed revolt, the Syrian Army launched an operation in al-Rastan, a city of an estimated 50,000 residents located 20 kilometers north of Homs, and the neighboring town of Talbiseh, which resulted in the suppression of the protests and numerous deaths. The Syrian Army met some armed opposition during the siege.{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/node/102843/section/6|title="We Live as in War" - Human Rights Watch|access-date=25 October 2014}}
Background
In mid-April 2011, large anti-government protests began in Rastan and the neighboring town of Talbiseh.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13130401 | work=BBC News | title=Syria protests: Homs city sit-in 'dispersed by gunfire' | date=19 April 2011}} On 29 April, some 50 members of the ruling Ba'ath Party resigned in Rastan. Soon after, while notice of the resignations was being read out at a large protest, Military Intelligence personnel allegedly shot and killed 17 demonstrators.{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-56765220110504 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202053421/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-56765220110504 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 2, 2016 | work=Reuters | title=Syrian tanks deploy in town; hundreds detained | date=4 May 2011}} A week later—after anti-government protesters toppled a statue of the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad and pledged to press ahead with their protests despite sweeping arrests by Bashar al-Assad's government—around 100 tanks and troop transports converged on and encircled the town of Rastan.{{cite news|title=Tensions rise in Syria as ruling forces mass tanks in protest hotbed|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/tensions-rise-in-syria-as-ruling-forces-mass-tanks-in-protest-hotbed/story-e6frg6so-1226050230959|access-date=14 July 2011|newspaper=The Australian|date=5 May 2011}} Throughout May 2011, protests continued in Rastan and the neighboring areas.{{cite news| url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCALDE73N02P20110513?sp=true | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704151714/http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCALDE73N02P20110513?sp=true | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 4, 2013 | work=Reuters | title=Syrian forces kill 6 protesters | date=13 May 2011}}{{cite news| url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-57095320110518 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202053421/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-57095320110518 | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 2, 2016 | work=Reuters | title=Tanks shell Syrian town, West piles on pressure | date=18 May 2011}}
The operation
On Saturday, 28 May 2011, the Syrian military entered the towns of Rastan and Talbiseh, a day after their biggest demonstrations so far. The opposition reported shooting in Talbiseh and said that soldiers were breaking into homes and arresting people. The operation began after the security forces cut-off all water supplies, electricity and telecommunications in the area and blocked all roads leading to the two towns. On Sunday, 29 May, a mortar shell hit a school bus carrying children in Talbiseh, residents told Al Jazeera. An ambulance trying to rescue them was also targeted, but the wounded students were eventually allowed to be transported to the nearest hospital in Deir Balba, they said.{{cite web|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/201152818244563547.html|title=Syrian tanks attack three central towns|work=Al Jazeera English|access-date=25 October 2014}}
On Monday, 30 May, it was reported that residents of Rastan and Talbiseh had fired at the army with assault rifles and RPGs. A resident of Homs said "The army is facing armed resistance and is not able to enter the two towns ... The army is still outside the towns and I was told that army vehicles, including armoured personnel carriers, were set on fire". Another opposition activist confirmed residents had fought back, but said it involved lone residents protecting themselves rather than an organized armed resistance with an overall command structure. The opposition's Local Coordination Committees said that the army hit Talbiseh with artillery early in the day, and that snipers were deployed on the roofs of mosques.{{Cite web |url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data%2Fmiddleeast%2F2011%2FMay%2Fmiddleeast_May870.xml§ion=middleeast |title=Armed residents put up resistance to Syrian army |access-date=2011-06-03 |archive-date=2015-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626105054/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle09.asp?xfile=data%2Fmiddleeast%2F2011%2FMay%2Fmiddleeast_May870.xml§ion=middleeast |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_syria0661_06_01.asp|title=Syrian protesters return fire on Assad's troops|access-date=25 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227075151/http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_syria0661_06_01.asp|archive-date=27 February 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
Opposition activists reported that at least two people were killed by Syrian Army artillery and machine-gun fire in Rastan on 4 June.{{cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/2/8/13539/World/Region/Syrian-army-shells-town,-protesters-gear-for-rally.aspx|title=Syrian army shells town, protesters gear for rally|access-date=25 October 2014}}
Aftermath
{{main|Battle of Rastan (2011)}}
In late September 2011, there were reports of more army defections in Rastan, and the Free Syrian Army claimed to have destroyed 17 armored vehicles during clashes in the city,{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cf5a4510-eaa9-11e0-aeca-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss|title=Syrian defectors battle Assad's army|work=Financial Times|access-date=25 October 2014}} using RPGs and booby traps.{{cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/thousands-of-troops-desert-from-syrian-army|title=Thousands of troops desert from Syrian army|access-date=25 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002031747/http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/thousands-of-troops-desert-from-syrian-army|archive-date=2 October 2011}} On 1 October, the Syrian Army took control of Rastan, killing 130 civilians and opposition forces and arresting 3,000 suspected opposition members, according to activist sources.{{cite news| url=http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE79017Y20111001 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601162049/http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCATRE79017Y20111001 | url-status=dead | archive-date=June 1, 2012 | work=Reuters | title=Pro-Assad forces regain rebel Syrian town: agency | date=1 October 2011}}
References
{{Portal|Asia}}
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.hrw.org/reports/2011/11/11/we-live-war We Live as in War], Human Rights Watch, 11 November 2011
- [https://www.hrw.org/reports/2011/12/15/all-means-necessary By All Means Necessary!], Human Rights Watch, 16 December 2011
{{Syrian Civil War}}
{{coord|34.9167|N|36.7333|E|source:wikidata|display=title}}
Category:Battles of the Syrian civil war in 2011
Category:Homs Governorate in the Syrian civil war
Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government