Jarabulus offensive (2016)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the ev
ent progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to
this article may not reflect the most current information. (Learn how and when t
o remove this template message)
Jarabulus offensive (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War, the military intervention against ISIL, the Turkey I
SIL conflict, and the Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War
Map of Manbij offensive (2016).png
Map of the offensive in the northeastern Aleppo Governorate, also including the
Manbij offensive
Date
24 August 2016 present
(2 days)
Location
Jarabulus District, Syria-Turkey border, northern Aleppo Governo
rate
Status
Ongoing
Syrian rebels capture Jarabulus and half a dozen villages[3]
Belligerents
Turkey
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army
Supported by:
CJTF OIR
United States[1]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Syrian Democratic Forces[2]
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen. Zekai Aksakalli[4]
(Operations chief commander)
Col. Ahmed Osman[5]
(Sultan Murad Division squad commander)
Fehim Isa[6]
(Sultan Murad Division commander)
Syrian opposition Ismail Ahwaz[7]
(FSA commander) Unknown Redur Xelil (YPG commander)[2]
Syrian opposition Abdel Sattar al-Jader
(Jarabulus Military Council commander)[8
]
Units involved
Turkish Armed Forces
Turkish Land Forces
Turkish Air Force
Special Forces
Syrian opposition Free Syrian Army
Sham Legion[9]
Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki
Sultan Murad Division[10]
Mountain Hawks Brigade[10]
Levant Front[10]
Hamza Division
Unknown
Manbij Military Council
Army of Revolutionaries
Northern Sun Battalion
Syrian opposition Jarabulus Military Council

Euphrates Jarabulus Brigade

YPG
YPJ
Strength
Syrian opposition "Hundreds" to 5,000 FSA fighters[10][11]
Turkey 200+ soldiers
20 80 MBTs[10][12]
20+ APCs
Unknown number of T-155 Firtina Howitzers
Unknown number of T-122 Sakarya Rocket Artillery
Unknown Unknown
Casualties and losses
1 FSA killed, 10 wounded[10]
46 killed[10] Unknown
29 civilians killed[13] (pro-PYD claim)
3,000 civilians flee Jarabulus[14] (pro-PYD claim)
[show] v t e
Syrian Civil War
[show] v t e
Turkey ISIL conflict
The Jarabulus offensive, code named by Turkey Operation Euphrates Shield[15] (Tu
rkish: Firat Kalkani Operasyonu or Firat Kalkani Harekati) is a cross-border bat
tle in and around the Syrian border town of Jarabulus between, according to the
Turkish military's official statement,[4] the Free Syrian Army, backed by the Tu
rkish Special Forces as well as other armed units, and the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces.
The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the first day of the operatio
n that it was aimed against both the ISIL and Syrian Kurdish ?terror groups that
threaten our country in northern Syria?.[16][17] This was the first co-ordinate
d offensive between Turkey and the U.S.-led coalition into Syria.[18] Also, it w
as the first time Turkish warplanes struck in Syria since November 2015, when Tu
rkey downed a Russian warplane, and the first significant incursion by Turkish s
pecial forces since a brief operation to relocate the tomb of Suleyman Shah, in
February 2015.[18]
Contents [hide]
1
Preparations
2
The offensive
2.1
Capture of Jarabulus
2.2
FSA-SDF conflict
3
Responses
4
See also
5
References
Preparations
On 20 August 2016, a large amount of rebels and a military convoy containing mor
e than 50 vehicles loaded with heavy and medium weapons from al-Rai were transfe
rred to the Turkish border with Jarabulus.[19]
On 22 August, as a response to the Gaziantep bombing and two mortar shells launc
hed by ISIL hitting the town of Karkamis adjacent to Jarabulus, the Turkish Land
Forces launched 60 artillery shells at IS positions in Jarabulus while simultan
eously bombarding Manbij Military Council positions farther south in order to pr
event them from advancing further to the north.[20] Karkamis was soon evacuated
and cleared of its residents. Turkey continued to shell ISIL positions in Jarabu
lus after two mortar rounds hit Karkamis and three hit Kilis.[21]
On 23 August, Turkey shelled Islamic State-held territory in northern Syria agai
n.[22]

The offensive
Capture of Jarabulus
Early in the morning of 24 August, Turkish forces directed intense artillery fir
e against ISIL positions in Jarabulus while the Turkish Air Force bombed 11 targ
ets from the air.[23] Later that day, Turkish main battle tanks followed by pick
-up trucks, believed to be carrying Turkish-backed Syrian rebels,[24] and the Tu
rkish Special Forces crossed the border and were joined by hundreds of Free Syri
an Army fighters as the ground forces attacked the town.[11] U.S.-led coalition
planes helped the Turkish forces.[1][18] This was their first co-ordinated offen
sive into Syria.[18] The FSA said progress was slow because of mines planted by
IS fighters in the area.[24]
A few hours after the offensive's beginning, Turkish Special Forces and the Sham
Legion captured their first village, Tal Katlijah, after ISIL fighters retreate
d from it to reinforce Jarabulus.[9] Some time later, the number of villages cap
tured by FSA had risen to four.[25] Hours later, Turkish and US-backed rebels we
re reported to have captured the border town of Jarabulus, with ISIL offering li
ttle resistance.[26][27] SOHR too confirmed that FSA had captured the city almos
t entirely.[28] A FSA spokesman stated that a large number of ISIL fighters had
withdrawn to al-Bab in front of the offensive.[29]
FSA-SDF conflict
Meanwhile, on the same day, US Vice President Joe Biden demanded that the YPG sh
ould give up Manbij and retreat to the eastern side of the Euphrates.[24] The YP
G, however, refused to withdraw from Manbij,[30] while the pro-SDF Jarabulus Mil
itary Council groups declared that they would not give up their hometown to the
Turkish-backed rebel groups which they considered "no different from ISIS". In c
onsequence, when Turkish-backed FSA units forcibly attempted to enter the SDF-he
ld village of Amarinah south of Jarabulus, they were met with resistance and wer
e eventually driven off by the SDF. Before clashing with the SDF, FSA had captur
ed half a dozen villages.[3][31][32] On the beginning of the second day of the o
ffensive, more than 20 Turkish tanks crossed into the Syrian border.[33] United
States' Secretary of State John Kerry later informed the Turkish Foreign Ministe
r that the YPG had started withdrawing to the east of the Euphrates river.[34]
Responses
Syria: The Syrian foreign ministry condemned "this blatant breach to its sovere
ignty" by Turkey. Syria said: "Fighting terrorism on Syrian territory from any s
ide should have been coordinated with Syrian government and the Syrian ... army
that has been fighting in these battles for five years".[27]
Syrian opposition Syrian opposition: The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutio
nary and Opposition Forces commended Turkey and other countries participating in
anti-ISIS coalition for their support of FSA s offensive on Jarabulus town. The S
yrian National Coalition claimed foreign military presence in and around Jarabul
us to be temporary and limited to the provision of logistical support.[35][36]
Turkey: Turkey said the operation was an act of self-defence, in response to IS
IS shelling of Turkish border towns and suicide bombings and attacks targeting T
urkish nationals and also that "Our border must be completely cleansed of Daesh
(ISIS)".[18] The Turkish foreign minister, Mevlt avusoglu, said that YPG should re
turn east of Syria's Euphrates River. Both Manbij and Jarabulus are west of the
river.[27]
United States: US Vice-President Joe Biden warned Kurdish forces in Syria that
they would lose US support if they advanced west of the River Euphrates.[24]
Russia: Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Moscow was deeply wo
rried by the escalation of tension on the Turkish-Syria border.[37]
Iraqi Kurdistan: The head of the Iraqi autonomous Kurdistan Region, Massoud Bar
zani, said on August 24 that Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey had agreed on a strategy
to fight ISIS.[38]
See also

Battle of al-Rai (August 2016)

Manbij offensive
References
^ Jump up to: a b Leith Fadel (24 August 2016). "US to provide air cover for Tur
kish, Syrian forces in Jarabulus". al-Masdar News.
^ Jump up to: a b "YPG: We will not withdraw from west of the Euphrates". Rudaw.
24 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b Izat Charkatli (24 August 2016). "Turkish-backed rebels fight
US-backed rebels in Aleppo". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline
of the ISIL fight Hrriyet Daily News, 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "After the capture of al-Rai, will Turkey force the FSA to fight in Ja
rabulus?". Al-Quds. 20 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "SULTAN MURAT TMENI KOMUTANI FEHIM ISA TATHAMUS TRKMEN KYNN DEAS TERR RGTN
EMIZLENDIGINI AIKLADI". 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Lacking military coordination in battles against state regulation". Q
asioun. 17 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Syria Kurds accuse Turkey of assassinating military commander". Now N
ews. 23 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b "Turkish-led forces capture first village in northern Syria".
al-Masdar News. 24 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g "LIVE: Turkish military, coalition forces launch 'Eu
phrates Shield' operation in Jarablus". Hrriyet Daily News. 24 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b "Turkey, US-led coalition launch major operation in northern S
yria". Reuters. 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ Leith Fadel (24 August 2016). "[Breaking] Turkish tanks enter northern
Aleppo". al-Masdar News.
Jump up ^ "29 civilians killed in Turkish state's attacks on Jarablus". ANF News
. 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "3 thousand civilians from Jarabulus arrive in Manbij". ANF News. 24 A
ugust 2016.
Jump up ^ CNNTURK_ENG (23 August 2016). "Turkish military names #Jarablus operat
ion as "Euphrates Shield"" (Tweet).
Jump up ^ "Erdogan says Syria operation aimed at IS jihadists, Kurdish PYD". 24
August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Turkish army-backed rebels advance inside Syria on ISIL - MIDEAST".
^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Turkish tanks, special forces launch first major push i
nto Syria to battle IS". Reuters. 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Opposition groups are preparing to break into Jarabulus, northern Ale
ppo, from Turkey". ARA News. 20 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Turkey Strikes Islamic State And Kurds In Syria". Sky News. 23 August
2016.
Jump up ^ "Turks Shell Isis But Keep Sights On Jarabulus". Morning Star Online.
24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Turkey Shells Islamic State in Syria". wsj. 23 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Turkish jets bomb Daesh targets in Jarabulus". Trend News Agency. 24
August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b c d "Turkey sends tanks into northern Syria". bbc. 24 August 2
016.
Jump up ^ "Turkish military, US-led coalition launch operation to sweep Islamic
State from Syrian town". ABC News. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Turkish and US-backed Syrian rebels have captured a key ISIS border c
rossing". Business Insider. 24 August 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Turkey sends tanks into Syria to battle ISIS". CNN. 24 Augu
st 2016.
Jump up ^ "IS conflict: Turkey-backed Syrian rebels 'take Jarablus'". BBC. 24 Au
gust 2016.
Jump up ^ "Syria: Turkish-backed rebels 'seize' Jarablus from ISIL". Al Jazeera.
25 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "YPG: We will not retreat from west of Euphrates". ANF News. 24 August

2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.

Jump up ^ "Clashes break out between Turkish-backed rebels and Syrian Democratic
Forces". ARA News. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "The countryside of Jarablos witnesses the first clash between the fig
hters of the faction that controlled Jarablos city against Syria Democratic Forc
es". SOHR. 24 August 2016.
Jump up ^ Lizzie Dearden (25 August 2016). "Syria war: More than 20 Turkish tank
s cross border as Jarablus in second day of offensive against Isis and Kurds". T
he Independent. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
Jump up ^ Emine Kart (25 August 2016). "Kerry to avusoglu: PYD/YPG withdrawing to
east of Euphrates". Hrriyet Daily News. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
Jump up ^ Syrian Coalition Welcomes Turkish Support for FSA Offensive in Jarablo
s
Jump up ^ "Syria, Kurds condemn Turkish incursion".
Jump up ^ Foundation, Thomson Reuters. "Russia says deeply worried by Turkish op
eration in Syria". news.trust.org. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
Jump up ^ http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/240820164
Coordinates: 36.819N 38.011E
Categories: Current events