Damascus offensive (2013)

Damascus offensive
	Part of the Syrian civil war (Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign)
	; Frontlines in Rif Dimashq from February to March 2013 Syrian government control Opposition control Contested
Date	6 February – 25 March 2013; (1 month, 2 weeks and 5 days)
Location	Damascus, Syria
Result	Partial rebel victory Rebels capture parts of the ring road on the edge of Damascus and the city's Jobar district in early February; Rebels capture the Qaboun and Kafar Souseh districts in late March; Government forces launch a counter-offensive to the east of Damascus in late March;
Belligerents
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army; Syrian Islamic Front Ahrar al-Sham; ; Syrian Islamic Liberation Front Liwa al-Islam; ; Al-Nusra Front; ;	Syrian government; Hezbollah; PFLP–GC; Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas
Commanders and leaders
Khaled al-Haboush; (Damascus Military Council commander); Sheikh Zahran Alloush[citation needed]; (Liwa al-Islam brigade commander); Abou Al Nour †[citation needed]; (Al Hendesah Brigade Leader); Naim Faysal Fiyad †[citation needed]; (Ahfad Omar Brigade Leader); Bashar Rez Abou Yassine †[citation needed]; (Ahfad Omar Brigade Leader); Mahmoud Al Aqrae †[citation needed]; (Farouk Al Sham Brigade leader); Ali Mahmoud Afouf †[citation needed]; (Dera Al Asemah Brigade Leader); Mohamed Al Haj Sulaymane †[citation needed]; (Al Mujahid Brigade Leader)	Bashar al-Assad; Issam Zahreddine; (Republican Guard Brigade 104 commander); Ali Abdullah Ayyoub; (Chief of staff); Ahmed Jibril (PFLP – GC); Ali Smender † (National Defence Front for Syria)[citation needed]
Units involved
Free Syrian Army Damascus Military Council; Al Hendesah Brigade; Ahfad Omar Brigade; Farouk Al Sham Brigade; Dera Al Asemah Brigade; Al Mujahid Brigade; ; Ahrar al-Sham Battalions of Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib; ;	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Arab Army Republican Guard; 1st Armoured Division; 3rd Armoured Division; 4th Armoured Division; 10th Mechanised Division; 14th Special Forces Division; ; National Defence Forces; Syrian Air Force; ; Jihad Jibril Brigades;
Strength
4,500 fighters 750–1,000 al-Nusra fighters; ;	70,000 soldiers, 1000+ tanks
Casualties and losses
735+ fighters killed	4,400+ soldiers killed

The Damascus offensive refers to a series of rebel operations^[15] that began in early February 2013 in and around the city of Damascus.

^ "BBC Arabic: Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda carry out acts of terror". Champress. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
^ Yezdani, İpek (2 September 2012). "Rebels fighting against al-Assad rule fragmented, disorganized in Syria" (PDF). Hürriyet Daily News. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
^ AFP (17 December 2012). "Syria hits back at UN over Palestinian refugees". Syria. NOW. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
^ Blanford, Nicholas (18 January 2013). "Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in Syria". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
^ "Syrian rebels bombard central Damascus, army artillery hits back". Reuters. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "Assad appeals to BRICS countries to help end war | News, Middle East". The Daily Star. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "At least 15 civilians, including a child, have died in shelling of towns east of Damascus, a monitoring group has said. - Al Jazeera Blogs". Blogs.aljazeera.com. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ Holmes, Oliver (8 April 2013). "Suicide car bomber kills 15 in central Damascus". Reuters. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "Civilian Brigades Are Helping Syrian Army Control Territory - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
^ "Heavy fighting continues in Mliha near Damascus - News - Society - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ Ignatius, David (30 November 2012). "Al-Qaeda affiliate playing larger role in Syria rebellion". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
^ Yacoub, Khaled (13 January 2013). "Syrian forces kill dozens in bombardments - opposition". Uk.reuters.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ ^a ^b "المرصد السورى لحقوق الانسان". Syriahr.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "SYRIA UPDATE: THE SOUTHERN BATTLEFRONTS". ISW. 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013.

[Champrass-1] "BBC Arabic: Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda carry out acts of terror". Champress. 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2012.

[2] Yezdani, İpek (2 September 2012). "Rebels fighting against al-Assad rule fragmented, disorganized in Syria" (PDF). Hürriyet Daily News. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2012.

[3] AFP (17 December 2012). "Syria hits back at UN over Palestinian refugees". Syria. NOW. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2012.

[csm11813-4] Blanford, Nicholas (18 January 2013). "Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in Syria". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 4 February 2013.

[Reuters-5] "Syrian rebels bombard central Damascus, army artillery hits back". Reuters. 25 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[6] "Assad appeals to BRICS countries to help end war | News, Middle East". The Daily Star. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[7] "At least 15 civilians, including a child, have died in shelling of towns east of Damascus, a monitoring group has said. - Al Jazeera Blogs". Blogs.aljazeera.com. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[8] Holmes, Oliver (8 April 2013). "Suicide car bomber kills 15 in central Damascus". Reuters. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[9] "Civilian Brigades Are Helping Syrian Army Control Territory - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 15 October 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[10] "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2012.

[11] "Heavy fighting continues in Mliha near Damascus - News - Society - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video". Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[12] Ignatius, David (30 November 2012). "Al-Qaeda affiliate playing larger role in Syria rebellion". The Washington Post. Retrieved 1 December 2012.

[13] Yacoub, Khaled (13 January 2013). "Syrian forces kill dozens in bombardments - opposition". Uk.reuters.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[SOHRcom-14] "المرصد السورى لحقوق الانسان". Syriahr.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2013.

[15] "SYRIA UPDATE: THE SOUTHERN BATTLEFRONTS". ISW. 5 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013.

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]