Southern Damascus offensive (January–February 2018)
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The Southern Damascus offensive (January–February 2018) began on 5 January 2018 as
Jaysh al-Islam ) , successor = , allies = * * * * * Free Syrian Army * Ahrar al-Sham *al-Rahman Legion (sometimes) *1st Brigade of Damascus (sometimes) * Al-Nusra Front (formerly) * Saraya Ahl al-Sham * Aknaf Bait al-Maqdis , opponents ...
fighters attempted to infiltrate ISIL positions within the orchards situated in-between Yalda and Hajjar As-Aswad to the immediate south of
Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...
city. This resulted in numerous casualties and as such, a week later, on 12 January ISIL shock troops launched a counter-assault on Yalda's Zein neighborhood, triggering heavy clashes, resulting in the eventual capture of several buildings in the area. On 22 January, ISIL made further progress in Taqdam Neighborhood of Hajjar al-Aswad, to this date ISIL ended up controlling 3/4 of Yarmouk Camp, majority of Hajjar al-Aswad,
Qadam Qadam ( ar, ٱلْقَدَم, al-Qadam) is a municipality and a neighborhood in the southern part of Damascus, Syria, due west of Yarmouk Camp. History Prior to its urbanization and integration into Damascus municipality al-Qadam was a village on ...
, Tadamon and large part of Yalda's eastern axis. Fighting continued with ISIL forces continuing their advance against other militant groups later into January, with majority of a street between Yalda and
Babbila Babbila ( ar, ببيلا, also spelled Bebbila) is a town in southern Syria, administratively part of the Rif Dimashq Governorate, located on the southern outskirts of Damascus to the east of the Yarmouk Camp. Nearby localities include al-Hajar al ...
as well as some gains within the district of Tadamon. By 27 January, ISIL controlled almost the entirety of Hajjar al-Aswad after breaking through the last lines of defense and were on the verge of entering the town of Yalda, during the same time, further areas were also captured in the Yarmouk district. ISIL fighters managed to make a breakthrough, with the capture of the Halfa neighborhood located in the Yarmouk Camp district, during a short skirmish with
Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) (, transliteration: ', "Organization for the Liberation of the Levant" or "Levant Liberation Committee"), commonly referred to as Tahrir al-Sham, is a Sunni Islamist political and armed organisation involved in the ...
(HTS) militants on 13 February. By 16 February, each side had inflicted around 100 casualties on each other. Haifa street and the Al-Malyoun and Al-Mashrou neighborhoods of Yarmouk were also captured by ISIL, while Tahrir al-Sham fighters fell back to their final defensible positions at Ar-Rija Square, which came under attack by ISIL on 17 February. Urban clashes continued on 20 February between ISIL and HTS units west of Yarmouk with ISIL shock troops having seized control of the Al-Wasim mosque block. On the same day, Al-Masdar News reported that HTS had brokered an agreement with the Syrian government to secure the transportation of 160 civilians from the besieged towns of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya within the
Idlib Governorate Idlib Governorate ( ar, مُحافظة ادلب / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Idlib'') is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay province to the north, Aleppo Governorate to the east, Hama ...
in exchange for safe passage of HTS fighters and their family members from Yarmouk Camp to Idlib.


Aftermath

On 10 March, ISIL threatened to kill any rebels that evacuate from the area after the Syrian Government gave rebel groups 48 hours of amnesty to leave behind all heavy equipment and either go to the Idlib Governorate or settle their issues with the Syrian Government. On 13 March ISIL began attacking Syrian Military positions west of the Yarmouk Camp while the rebels in al-Qadam were evacuating. During clashes between SAA and ISIL in al-Qadam opposition groups attempted to break through ISIL lines however failed to do so.


See also

* Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015) * List of wars and battles involving ISIL


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southern Damascus offensive (2018 01-02) Conflicts in 2018 Battles of the Syrian civil war Damascus in the Syrian civil war Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Tahrir al-Sham January 2018 events in Syria February 2018 events in Syria