Post by warblog on Jul 25, 2019 22:39:40 GMT
The Battle of Raqqa (March 2013) took place over four days, 2 March to 6 March 2013. See Scenario.
It involved the units from the Muntasir Billah Brigade, FSA (Free Syrian Army), Jabhat an-Nusra, Ahrar ash-Sham (part of the Syrian Islamic Front) and the brigade of Huthaya bin al-Yaman against major elements of the Syrian 17th Division.
The battle was also known as the Raid of the Almighty by the rebel forces.
It was also noted for the withdrawal of Syrian forces from the 17th Division who mainly left without a fight and then retreated west and east.
The city was guarded essentially at four checkpoints and it was the eastern checkpoint that fell first after Muntasir Billah Brigade and al-Nusra Front units approached with the Syrian forces there pulling out without a fight.
The rebel forces attacked the city from the north and east.
The attacks began on 2 March 2013 with units from Ahrar al-Sham leading the offensive
Units involved under the Raqqa Liberation Front were:
Ahfad al-Rasul Brigades
Liwa Owais al-Qorani
Muntasir Billah Brigade
Raqqa Revolutionaries Brigade
Euphrates Knights Brigade
Islamic Unity and Liberation Front
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman Brigade
Victory of Saladin Battalions
The Brigade of the Trustees of Raqqa force was under the command of Ahrar ash-Sham whilst the Ghuraba al-Sham Battalion was commanded by the Conquest Brigade.
It was noted that in early videos, the role of the Ahrar ash-Sham forces was played down to make it look more like a local offensive and elements from Jabhat al-Wahdet al-Tahrir al-Islamiyye were portrayed as playing significant roles, although they were thought in reality to have not.
The rebel forces, mostly Sunni Islamists, totalled about 7,000, verses an estimate total of 400 Syrian soliders.
As the forces approached from the north and the east, the main bulk of the Syrian 17th Division forces that were there moved away, giving up the eastern check point without a fight.
The main city square was taken on 4 March 2013 and the city was declared taken on 5 March 2013.
Although the main bulk of the Syrian forces left the city without a fight, there were loyalist forces that held out until the 6 March 2013 in key locations. However, they too were also eventually defeated.
After the fall of the city, the Syrian airforce carried out 25 air-strikes against the city in the hope of dislodging the rebel forces.
Raqqa was the first city to fall to the rebel forces in the Syrian Civil War. It was later recaptured in 2017.
It involved the units from the Muntasir Billah Brigade, FSA (Free Syrian Army), Jabhat an-Nusra, Ahrar ash-Sham (part of the Syrian Islamic Front) and the brigade of Huthaya bin al-Yaman against major elements of the Syrian 17th Division.
The battle was also known as the Raid of the Almighty by the rebel forces.
It was also noted for the withdrawal of Syrian forces from the 17th Division who mainly left without a fight and then retreated west and east.
The city was guarded essentially at four checkpoints and it was the eastern checkpoint that fell first after Muntasir Billah Brigade and al-Nusra Front units approached with the Syrian forces there pulling out without a fight.
The rebel forces attacked the city from the north and east.
The attacks began on 2 March 2013 with units from Ahrar al-Sham leading the offensive
Units involved under the Raqqa Liberation Front were:
Ahfad al-Rasul Brigades
Liwa Owais al-Qorani
Muntasir Billah Brigade
Raqqa Revolutionaries Brigade
Euphrates Knights Brigade
Islamic Unity and Liberation Front
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman Brigade
Victory of Saladin Battalions
The Brigade of the Trustees of Raqqa force was under the command of Ahrar ash-Sham whilst the Ghuraba al-Sham Battalion was commanded by the Conquest Brigade.
It was noted that in early videos, the role of the Ahrar ash-Sham forces was played down to make it look more like a local offensive and elements from Jabhat al-Wahdet al-Tahrir al-Islamiyye were portrayed as playing significant roles, although they were thought in reality to have not.
The rebel forces, mostly Sunni Islamists, totalled about 7,000, verses an estimate total of 400 Syrian soliders.
As the forces approached from the north and the east, the main bulk of the Syrian 17th Division forces that were there moved away, giving up the eastern check point without a fight.
The main city square was taken on 4 March 2013 and the city was declared taken on 5 March 2013.
Although the main bulk of the Syrian forces left the city without a fight, there were loyalist forces that held out until the 6 March 2013 in key locations. However, they too were also eventually defeated.
After the fall of the city, the Syrian airforce carried out 25 air-strikes against the city in the hope of dislodging the rebel forces.
Raqqa was the first city to fall to the rebel forces in the Syrian Civil War. It was later recaptured in 2017.
The rebel victory was symbolised in part by the toppling of the gold staute of Hafez al-Assad who had been the Syrian president from 1971 to 2000.