Deir ez-Zor offensive (December 2014)

Part of the Syrian Civil War and the Siege of Deir ez-Zor (2014-present)

Date

3–13 December 2014
(1 week and 3 days)

Location

Deir ez-Zor, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria

Result

Partial Syrian government victory

ISIL captures al-Mari'iyah, al-Jafra, the Missiles Battalion base and the mountain overlooking Deir ez-Zor city
Syrian Army recaptures the mountain, the base, and most of al-Mari'iyah and al-Jafra

Belligerents

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Syrian Arab Republic

Syrian Armed Forces
Al-Shaitat tribes

Commanders and leaders

Amer Al-Rafdan
(ISIL top commander)

Abu al Faruq †
(Tunisian ISIL Deir ez-Zor commander)

Van Manco
(Filipino ISIL commander)

Brig. Gen. Issam Zahreddine
(Republican Guard commander)

Mudar Makhlouf
(Military Intelligence militia commander)

Units involved

Military of ISIL

Syrian Armed Forces

Syrian Army
- 17th Mechanized Division
  - 137th Mechanized Brigade
- Republican Guard
  - 104th Airborne Brigade
National Defence Forces
Military Intelligence militia contingents

Strength

3,000+ fighters(by September)

150 soldiers (reinforcements)
200 tribal fighters

Casualties and losses

250+ killed (by 6 December)

43–51 killed (by 6 December)

Partial Syrian government victory

Syrian Arab Republic

Syrian Armed Forces

The Deir ez-Zor offensive (December 2014) was a military operation launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on the Deir ez-Zor air base and the surrounding areas.

On 3 December, ISIL launched an offensive in the direction of the Deir Ezzor military airbase. They reportedly managed to capture the al-Masemekeh Building after a suicide bomber detonated a car near it, killing 19 soldiers and NDF fighters, according to the SOHR. In the clashes that followed, 7 ISIL militants were killed, while ISIL seized two tanks, an APC, an artillery piece, and machine guns. The next day, ISIL reportedly advanced further and captured al-Mari'iyah village, and they also captured parts of the al-Jafra village, while the Syrian Army reported that the 104th Airborne Brigade of the Republican Guard Killed over 20 ISIL militants, and seized 3 tanks. The same source named 17 ISIL casualties in from fighting in the al-Mari’ayyi area. The SAF conducted ten airstrikes on ISIL positions that day.

On 5 December, ISIL captured al-Jafra village. 37 ISIL militants and 30 soldiers were killed during the takeover. Meanwhile, 15 ISIL fighters were killed by coalition warplanes targeting a convoy in the al-Bokamal countryside. Later that day, the Syrian Army launched a counterattack and recaptured parts of al-Mari'iyah village, and regained control of the perimeter of the Deir-ez Zour airbase from ISIL The Syrian Army claimed that it had killed over 100 ISIL militants since the start of the ISIL offensive, while SOHR gave the number of 45. ISIL also managed to capture some positions and military equipment on the mountain overlooking the city.

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Wikipedia