Battle of Saraqeb

Battle of Saraqeb
Part of the Idlib Governorate clashes (September 2011–March 2012)
Date 24–27 March 2012 Location Saraqeb, Idlib Governorate, Syria 35°51′49″N 36°48′02″E / 35.863611°N 36.800556°E / 35.863611; 36.800556Coordinates: 35°51′49″N 36°48′02″E / 35.863611°N 36.800556°E / 35.863611; 36.800556 Result Syrian Army victory
Belligerents
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army Syrian Liberation Army	Syrian Ba'athist government Syrian Army
Strength
Unknown	11th Armoured Division 60th Armoured Brigade 76th Armoured Brigade
Casualties and losses
30+ killed	28 killed
100 killed overall
Location within Syria

Syrian opposition

Syrian Ba'athist government

11th Armoured Division

The Battle of Saraqeb started eleven days after the victory of the Syrian Army in the Battle of Idlib of March 2012, where they took back the main city of Idlib province.Saraqib was considered an important strategic point because of its size, being the second largest city of the province, and its geographic position at the junction of two highways going to Aleppo: one going south towards Hama, Homs and Damascus, and one going west towards Latakia. It was also used as a base to launch attacks on military convoys.

On 24 March, the Syrian Army shelled the city briefly while leading a ground assault at the same time. A column of tanks entered the city to attack the defenses of the rebels, while infantry backed by snipers led the second wave to pursue the remaining fighters. The Free Syrian Army fighters fought back the first day and damaged a tank. In the fighting 18 of them were killed. After the first day, the rebels were forced to withdraw from the city after the army took full control of it. An opposition group accused the army of burning most of the shops in the town and called for observers to come in the city. After the battle, security forces and Shabiha militia searched for suspected rebels and captured at least 24 and executed them.