2014 Latakia offensive

Part of the Syrian Civil War

Syrian Army control Opposition control

Date

21 March – 15 June 2014
(2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)

Location

Latakia Governorate, Syria

Result

Decisive Syrian Army victory

Rebels initially capture the Kasab border crossing and its strategic town, Al-Samra, Nab Al-Murr and Al-Nab'in
Syrian Army units and allied militias diverted to Latakia from Idlib, Hama and the ongoing battle of Aleppo
Observatory 45 hill changes hands several times before being captured by the Army
Government forces stall further rebel advances and recapture all territory previously lost

Belligerents

Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front

Supported by:

Al-Nusra Front
Junud al-Sham

Harakat Sham al-Islam

Syrian Arab Republic

Syrian Resistance

Ba'ath Brigades

Hezbollah

Commanders and leaders

Unknown top provincial Al-Nusra commander † (Nusra Front commander)
Abu Ahmed al-Turkmani
(Nusra Front commander)
Muslim Abu Walid al Shishani (Junud al-Sham commander)
Abu Musa al-Shishani (Ansar al-Sham commander)
Abu al Hassan (Ahrar ash-Sham commander)
Ibrahim bin Shakran † (Harakat Sham al-Islam commander)
Abu Safiya Al-Masri † (Harakat Sham al-Islam deputy commander)
Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir (FSA Chief of staff)
Anas Abu Malik (Latakia FSA commander)

Lt. Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub (Army Chief of staff)
Hilal al-Assad † (Latakia NDF commander)

Mihraç Ural (Syrian Resistance commander)
Hussam Khadra † (Latakia Ba'ath Brigades commander)
Col. Samuel Ghannum † (Observatory 45 commander)

Strength

4,000 fighters

Unknown

Casualties and losses

582 killed (opposition claim)

2,700 killed and 5,635 wounded (government claim; by 30 March)

571 killed (opposition claim)

50 killed (government claim; by 26 March)

1 MiG-23 shot down by Turkish Air Force