Battle of Arsal (2014) explained

Conflict:Battle of Arsal
Partof:The Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon and the Qalamoun offensive (June–August 2014)
Date:2–7 August 2014
Place:Arsal, Lebanon
Map Type:Lebanon
Map Relief:yes
Map Size:250px
Result:Lebanese Army and Hezbollah victory
  • Insurgents effectively expelled from Arsal
Combatant1: Al-Nusra Front
Combatant2: Lebanon

---- Syrian Arab Republic

Commander1: Abu Hasan al-Homsi
Abu Ahmed Jumaa[1]
Commander2: Samir Mouqbel
General Jean Kahwaji
Brig. General Chamel Roukoz
Colonel Maroun al-Qobayati
Colonel Nour al-Jamal
Colonel Dany Harb
Units1:Unknown
Units2:Lebanese Army
Strength1:700[2]
Strength2:Unknown
Casualties1:60 killed
Casualties2:20 killed,[3] 85 wounded and 49 captured (36 released, 13 executed)[4] [5] [6]
Casualties3:42–50 civilians killed

On 2 August 2014, after Lebanese security forces arrested an al-Nusra Front commander, fighters from al-Nusra Front and ISIL surrounded Lebanese Army checkpoints in Arsal before attacking them and storming the northeastern town's police station, where they took at least 16 policemen hostage.[7] [8] The militants then proceeded to take control of the town, and captured two soldiers who were freed by the military later in the day. The fighting continued into the next day and left 30 militants,[9] 10 soldiers and two civilians dead. 25 soldiers were wounded and 13 were missing and presumed captured.[10] Two of the missing soldiers were rescued the same day.[11]

On 4 August, the death toll had risen to 17 soldiers,[12] 50 civilians and 50 militants. 86 soldiers had been wounded and the number of missing had reached 22, while 135 civilians and 15 militants were wounded.[13] Two of the dead civilians were infant Syrian refugees.[14] The military had advanced and captured[15] the technical institute building, which was seized by the militants the previous day,[11] as the town came under heavy shell fire from multiple directions.[16] In the evening, the Army also managed to capture Ras al-Serj hill.[17]

On 5 August, the military was attempting to capture two government buildings, while three soldiers and three policemen were released by the militants.[17] During the day's fighting, the ISIL commander for the Arsal area was reportedly killed,[18] while al-Nusra forces retreated from the town.[19] In the evening, a 24-hour cease-fire started.[20]

On 6 August, another three soldiers were released, while 10 soldiers and 17 policemen remained as captives.[21]

By 7 August, a fragile truce was established as ISIL forces also retreated from the town and redeployed along the border with Syria.[1] [22] Their hideouts there were subsequently bombed by the Syrian Air Force, resulting in dozens of wounded militants. On 22 July 2017 Hezbollah controlled 90% of Jroud arssal.[23]

Two days later, the Lebanese Army entered Arsal in full force and re-established control over checkpoints that the militants had previously seized, while another soldier died of his wounds, bringing the military death toll to 18,[24] which was updated to 19 by 12 August. 60 militants were also confirmed dead,[25] as well as 42 civilians. The total number of civilians wounded was estimated at 400.[26]

External links

34.1794°N 36.4208°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lebanon: Islamist militants threaten to reinvade Ersal unless conditions are met. Al Akhbar English. 7 August 2014. 22 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222122420/http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-islamist-militants-threaten-reinvade-ersal-unless-conditions-are-met. 22 December 2015. dead.
  2. Web site: Hezbollah prepares major offensive against ISIL.
  3. Web site: Captured soldiers: They will kill us, if Hezbollah remains in Syria. 23 August 2014.
  4. 2 freed (2 Aug.),https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/lebanon/11008654/Clashes-at-Syrian-border-leave-eight-Lebanese-soldiers-dead.html 2 freed (3 Aug.),http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-04/265988-army-to-insulate-arsal-from-syria.ashx#axzz39B6nb6Tv 6 freed (5 Aug.),http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-05/266095-syria-vows-to-back-lebanon-army-against-terrorism.ashx#axzz39P7yJw5T 3 freed (6 Aug.),http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/8/6/lebanon-syria-truce.html 2 freed (17 Aug.),http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-18/267528-militants-free-two-isf-members-captured-in-arsal-clashes.ashx#axzz3BH2VvhLd 5 freed (30 Aug.),https://web.archive.org/web/20140903103144/http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKBN0GU0J420140830 16 freed (1 Dec. 2015),http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/12/lebanese-hostages-released-prisoner-swap-151201072408599.html total of 36 freed
  5. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/lebanon-prisoner-release-1.3344823 Syria's al-Qaeda branch Nusra Front to swap Lebanese soldiers for prisoners
  6. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-crisis-lebanon/lebanon-identifies-bodies-of-soldiers-killed-while-in-is-hands-idUKKCN1BH11M Lebanon identifies bodies of soldiers killed while in IS hands
  7. Web site: 8 Lebanon soldiers killed in Syria border clashes . Channel NewsAsia . 3 August 2014 . 22 August 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141015212156/http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/8-lebanon-soldiers-killed/1294652.html . 15 October 2014 .
  8. Web site: Jihadists Extend Control Into Lebanese City. New York Times. 3 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  9. Web site: 11 soldiers, 30 militants killed in east Lebanon. The Daily Star. 3 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 10 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171010035553/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-03/265882-eight-army-soldiers-killed-in-arsal-clashes.ashx#axzz39B6nb6Tv. dead.
  10. Web site: Lebanon suffers heavy losses in clashes with jihadists near Syria. AFP. 3 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  11. Web site: Lebanon army advances against militants, death toll rises. The Daily Star. 4 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 22 December 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222185622/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-04/265988-army-to-insulate-arsal-from-syria.ashx#axzz39B6nb6Tv. dead.
  12. News: Thousands flee as Lebanon battles Syrian militants. Associated Press. 4 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  13. Web site: Dziadosz. Alexander. Lebanese army tries to expel Syria-linked militants from border town. Reuters. 3 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 15 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140815025054/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/03/us-lebanon-security-arsal-idUSKBN0G30E220140803. live.
  14. Web site: Residents flee Arsal amid heavy clashes. The Daily Star. 3 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 19 October 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171019200254/http://www.dailystar.com.lb//News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-03/265895-residents-flee-arsal-amid-heavy-clashes.ashx#axzz39KEhh4lE. dead.
  15. Web site: Dziadosz. Alexander. Lebanese army advances in border battle with Islamists. Reuters. 22 August 2014.
  16. News: Border Fighting Intensifies Between ISIS and Lebanon. New York Times. 4 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  17. Web site: Truce collapses, clashes renew in northeast Lebanon. The Daily Star. 5 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 5 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140805093848/http://dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-05/266095-syria-vows-to-back-lebanon-army-against-terrorism.ashx#axzz39P7yJw5T. dead.
  18. Web site: ISIS commander killed in Arsal clashes: report. The Daily Star. 22 August 2014. 11 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190111232355/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-05/266148-isis-commander-killed-in-arsal-clashes-report.ashx#axzz39B6nb6Tv. dead.
  19. Web site: Deal reached: ISIS to leave Arsal, soldiers to be released. The Daily Star. 6 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190104152156/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-06/266224-large-numbers-of-militants-withdraw-from-arsal-official.ashx#axzz39B6nb6Tv. dead.
  20. Web site: Mariam Karouny. Tom Perry. Ceasefire agreed in Lebanese border town battle. The Star. 6 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  21. Web site: Sunni fighters, Lebanese army extend fragile cease-fire in border town. Al Jazeera America. 6 August 2014. 22 August 2014.
  22. Web site: Refugee convoy leaving Arsal stopped at border. NOW. 7 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 11 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140811190517/https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/lebanonnews/559230-over-1000-syrians-flee-arsal-for-qalamoun. dead.
  23. Web site: Efforts underway to free captured Lebanese soldiers. The Daily Star. subscription. 7 August 2014. 7 August 2014.
  24. Web site: Lebanese Army enters Arsal in full force. The Daily Star. 9 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190104114913/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/Aug-09/266620-lebanese-army-regain-control-over-arsal-post.ashx#axzz39tkQeIHh. dead.
  25. Web site: Kahwagi: Army will do utmost to free hostages. The Daily Star. 22 August 2014.
  26. Web site: Holmes. Oliver. Militants pull out of Lebanese border town with captives. Reuters. 7 August 2014. 22 August 2014. 16 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140816054613/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/07/us-lebanon-security-arsal-idUSKBN0G70HC20140807. live.

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