Damascus offensive (2013)

Timeline

On 6 February, rebel forces launched an offensive, named "Battle of Armageddon", on the edge of Central Damascus, with rebels entering the Jobar District of Damascus after overrunning a Syrian Arab Army roadblock. Parts of the Damascus ring road which acts as a barrier between Central Damascus and Ghouta were also seized by rebel fighters. Rebels have also launched attacks on Adra, north east of Damascus.

On 10 February, a rebel claimed that opposition forces had captured another military checkpoint in the Jobar district. However, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that while fighting for the highway continued, government troops regained control of the area after bombing rebel positions the day before.

On 19 February, the rebels began moving truckloads of anti aircraft weapons into Jobar in an effort to consolidate advances made in the Eastern Damascus district.

On 20 February, a SCUD missile, fired by government forces, hit the command center of the Islamist militia Liwa Al-Islam near Douma, which had been spearheading the attack against the roundabout and the Jobar district. Sheikh Zahran Alloush, the commander and founder of the brigade, had been wounded in the strike. The area was devastated and other rebel fighters were also killed or wounded.

On 21 February, rebels launched 3 car bombings on security targets in the Barzeh neighbourhood in Damascus. Also fired several mortar rounds at the Syrian army's general staff headquarters in Umayyad Square, as well as other streets and squares known to house government and security offices, according to residents and activists. SOHR claimed that 22 people, mostly soldiers, were killed in these other attacks.

On 27 February, SOHR claimed that rebels had fired several mortar shells which exploded in the military Judiciary and literature department of the University of Damascus.

On 2 March, heavy fighting was reported in Darayya between rebels and the Syrian Army. The Local Coordination Committees of Syria claimed that rebels targeted a military column attempting to storm Darayya, and also defended several attempts by the government to storm Jobar.

On 3 March, rebels reportedly fired several rockets at security forces headquarters in Damascus, though it is unknown if there were any casualties.

On 12 March, 30 military deserters were killed in an Army ambush near Damascus while they were heading towards the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area.

On 18 March, rebels operating within Damascus launched mortar bombs at the Damascus Presidential Palace, though its unclear if there were any casualties.

On 21 March, an explosion in the Iman Mosque in the Al-Mazraa district killed as many as 41 people, including Sunni cleric, Sheikh Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti. Syrian state TV claimed the explosion was a suicide bombing, though some residents claim it was caused by a mortar bomb that struck a nearby political office.

On 25 March, the rebels launched one of their heaviest bombardments of Central Damascus since the start of their revolt, with mortars reportedly hitting Umayyad Square, where the Ba'ath Party headquarters, Air Force Intelligence and state television are also located. The attack was launched when rebel forces advanced into the Kafr Souseh district of Damascus, and the Syrian Army retaliated with artillery launched from Mount Qasioun.

References

References

1. (2013-03-25). "Syrian rebels bombard central Damascus, army artillery hits back". Reuters.
2. (2013-03-28). "Assad appeals to BRICS countries to help end war | News, Middle East". The Daily Star.
3. (2013-04-08). "At least 15 civilians, including a child, have died in shelling of towns east of Damascus, a monitoring group has said. - Al Jazeera Blogs". Blogs.aljazeera.com.
4. Holmes, Oliver. (2013-04-08). "Suicide car bomber kills 15 in central Damascus". Reuters.
5. (18 September 2012). "BBC Arabic: Groups affiliated to al-Qaeda carry out acts of terror". Champress.
6. Yezdani, İpek. (2 September 2012). "Rebels fighting against al-Assad rule fragmented, disorganized in Syria". [[Hürriyet Daily News]].
7. AFP. (17 December 2012). "Syria hits back at UN over Palestinian refugees". NOW..
8. Blanford, Nicholas. (18 January 2013). "Video appears to show Hezbollah and Iraqi Shiites fighting in Syria". The Christian Science Monitor.
9. (2012-10-15). "Civilian Brigades Are Helping Syrian Army Control Territory - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor.
10. (17 December 2012). "Corrections and clarifications". The Guardian.
11. "Heavy fighting continues in Mliha near Damascus - News - Society - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video".
12. Ignatius, David. (30 November 2012). "Al-Qaeda affiliate playing larger role in Syria rebellion". [[The Washington Post]].
13. Yacoub, Khaled. (13 January 2013). "Syrian forces kill dozens in bombardments - opposition".
14. "المرصد السورى لحقوق الانسان". Syriahr.com.
15. (5 April 2013). "SYRIA UPDATE: THE SOUTHERN BATTLEFRONTS". ISW.
16. Yacoub, Khaled. (6 February 2013). "Syrian rebels fight close to heart of Damascus". Reuters.
17. (10 February 2013). "Damascus on Edge as War Seeps into Syrian Capital". The New York Times.
18. Ginsburg, Mitch. (2013-02-10). "Syrian army, rebels battle for key Damascus highway". The Times of Israel.
19. Yacoub, Khaled. (2013-02-19). "Syria Scud-type missile said to kill 20 in Aleppo". Reuters.
20. (20 February 2013). "Missile blast wounds Syrian rebel commander: activists". Reuters.
21. Dagher, Sam. (2013-02-21). "Attacks in Damascus Target Symbols of Assad Regime - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com.
22. "Syrian Forces Clash with Rebels". [[The Washington Post]].
23. (2013-03-02). "BBC News - Syria: Fierce clashes in provincial capital Raqqa".
24. "Syria Today 2-3-2013 | Local coordination committees of Syria". Lccsyria.org.
25. (2013-03-03). "BBC News - Rebels 'seize most of Syria police academy'".
26. (12 March 2013). "Syrian forces kill 30 deserters in ambush: opposition". Reuters.
27. (18 March 2013). "Syria rebels say fire mortars at president's palace". Reuters.
28. Jim Muir. (2013-03-21). "BBC News - Syria mosque blast: Pro-Assad cleric among dozens dead".
29. "Syria Live Blog - Al Jazeera Blogs". Blogs.aljazeera.com.