Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (February–March 2016)

Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Map of the course of the offensive (also included the concurrent ISIL-led Khanasir offensive). Red dotted line denotes the Syrian Government frontline prior to offensive.      Syrian Army control      Opposition control (including al-Qaeda in the Levant)      Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant      Ongoing confrontation or unclear situation
Date 11 February – 5 March 2016 (3 weeks and 2 days) Location Eastern Hama Governorate and Southern Raqqa Governorate, Syria Result Offensive stalls; Limited Syrian Army advances The Syrian Army advances to the Zakiyah crossroad before halting
Belligerents
Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces National Defence Forces Ba'ath Brigades Al-Quds Brigades Imam Mahdi Brigade	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Units involved
Syrian Army 4th Mechanized Division 555th Brigade Desert Hawks Brigade National Defence Forces Golan Regiment	Military of ISIL

     Syrian Army control      Opposition control (including al-Qaeda in the Levant)      Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

Offensive stalls; Limited Syrian Army advances

Syrian Arab Republic

Syrian Army

National Defence Forces

The Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016) was a military operation conducted by the Syrian Arab Army against ISIL, during the Syrian Civil War, with the aim of reaching the ISIL-held Al-Tabqa Military Airport.

On the morning of 11 February 2016, the Syrian Arab Army’s 555th Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division, along with the National Defense Forces (NDF), Liwaa Suqour Al-Sahra (Desert Hawks Brigade), Kataebat Al-Ba’ath (Al-Ba’ath Battalions), and Fouj Al-Joulan (Golani Regiment), launched an offensive eastward to recapture the Ithriyah-Raqqa Road that leads to the Tabqa Military Airport. They began their assault by storming Hill 5 along the Ithriyah-Raqqa Road, and after nearly 3 hours of fierce battle with ISIS, they were able to establish full control over three points in the eastern Hama desert: Hill 5, Tal Abu Zayn and a water well at the village of Tal Zakiyah. At this point, the Syrian Army was 45 kilometers from the Al-Tabqa air base.

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Wikipedia