Daraa offensive (March 2016)

Daraa offensive (March–April 2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War and the Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
Date 21 March – 8 April 2016 (2 weeks and 4 days) Location Daraa Governorate, Syria Result Rebel victory ISIL captures nine towns and villages Rebels recapture all towns and villages from ISIL Pro-opposition "al-Murabitin Brigade" defects from the pro-ISIL Islamic Muthanna Movement Islamic Muthanna Movement loses almost all of its territory and merges with the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army Alwiya al-Furqan al-Nusra Front al-Murabitin Brigade(since 28 March)	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Abu Salah al-Masalma † (al-Nusra general commander of Daraa Governorate) Abu Adham † (al-Nusra commander of Tasil) Abu Kinan al-Sharif (commander of the Yarmouk Army) Hussin Massaid (Southern Front field commander)	Abu Abdullah al-Madani (Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade emir) Abu Tahrir † (Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade field commander) Unknown Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade commander † Abu Ayyub (Muthanna Movement emir) Abu Omar Sawa'iq (Muthanna Movement second-in-command) Muhammad Refa`ie † (Muthanna Movement general commander) Abu Umar † (Muthanna Movement field commander) Abu Obeid Sheikh Saad † (Muthanna Movement field commander) Abu Abdul Karim  (POW) (Muthanna Movement commander in Daraa city) Ahmad Sameera (Ansar al-Aqsa commander) Malek Faisal (Ansar al-Aqsa commander)
Units involved
Southern Front "House of Justice" operations room Yarmouk Army al-Moutazz Billah Brigade Muhajerin and Ansar Brigade Dawn of Islam Division Youth of Sunnah Brigade Tahrir al-Sham Division Omari Brigades Hamza Division Mujahideen of Hawran Brigades Martyr Raed al-Masri Brigade Liwa Awwal Mahaam Khassa Ahrar ash-Sham Jaysh al-Islam Jasim Military Council	Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade Islamic Muthanna Movement Ansar al-Aqsa
Strength
Unknown 60+ (al-Murabitin Brigade)	800–1,200+ c. 100 in Inkhil
Casualties and losses
93 fighters killed on both sides (per pro-Syrian gov. source) 25 civilians killed (several executed by ISIL) 8,200 civilians displaced

Rebel victory

Southern Front

Unknown

800–1,200+

The Daraa offensive (March–April 2016) was a military operation of two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-affiliated groups, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade and the Islamic Muthanna Movement, against Syrian opposition forces in the Daraa Governorate.

The Muthanna Islamic Movement was accused of kidnappings of Daraa officials and FSA commanders, which the Movement denied. Several of the prisoners were freed by the Yarmouk Army later. Muthanna was also alleged to have cooperated with the Islamic State.

In midst of the Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin in 23 January 2016, against the Syrian Armed Forces, conflict erupted between the Muthanna Movement and the Yarmouk Army after the Movement blocked the road leading to the town. The Syrian Army was able to capture the town two days later.

First major clashes between ISIL and opposition forces already broke out a week before the offensive.

On 21 March 2016, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade and the Islamic Muthanna Movement, both of which are Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant affiliates, stormed the towns of Tasil and Adwan after several hours-long fierce battles with the al-Nusra Front, Ahrar ash-Sham and the Martyr Raed al-Masri Brigade of the Free Syrian Army. At least two important al-Nusra military commanders were killed during the clashes: Abu Salah al-Masalma, general commander of Daraa Governorate, and Abu Adham, commander of Tasil. After suffering many casualties, opposition forces were eventually forced to retreat to Nawa. ISIL fighters went on to execute a number of residents in the captured towns, and broadcast an appeal over the local mosques' loudspeakers for the rebels to choose between “allegiance, surrendering their arms, or staying home.” In response to the ISIL takeover, many Tasil residents fled into the countryside. Afterwards, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade erected earth mounds around Tasil in order to fortify the town against rebel counter-attacks, and advanced further along the main road from Tasil to Nawa. ISIL forces also began to besiege al-Nusra Front and Ahrar ash-Sham troops in the villages of Sahem al-Jolan and Heit al-Latin. Subsequently, large numbers of opposition reinforcements were sent to southwestern Daara in order to halt the ISIL incursions. On the same day, ISIL forces detonated a suicide car bomb in Kherab Shahen, and targeted Tel Jomo with heavy machine guns and mortars. However, while the Islamic Muthanna Movement's western main branch aligned itself with ISIL forces, its eastern branch in Daraa city pledged only to fight the government. Nevertheless, family members of al-Nusra leader Abu Salah al-Masalma attacked vehicles of the eastern branch after hearing of his death.

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Wikipedia