Battle of Rastan (2011)
Battle
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A battle for control of Rastan, a city of 60,000 residents in Homs Governorate, Syria, occurred from 27 September to 1 October 2011. In late September, there were reports of numerous Syrian Army defections in the area, following which the Free Syrian Army took control of Rastan. After a four-day battle, the city was retaken by the Syrian Army.
(4 days)
changes Syrian government forces regain control of Rastan
| First Battle of Rastan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the early insurgency phase of the Syrian civil war | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Syrian Opposition |
 Syrian Government | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Maj. Abdul Rahman Sheikh Ali †[1] 1st Lt. Ahmad Mustafa al-Khalaf †[2] |
Unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
1,000 rebels[5] |
 900 soldiers 250 tanks and armored vehicles | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
130 rebels and protesters killed[6] 3,000 opposition supporters arrested[7] |
13 soldiers killed[8] 32 soldiers wounded[9] | ||||||||
| *The number of dead on the rebel side includes both opposition fighters and civilian protesters | |||||||||
  Location within Syria | |||||||||
Background
On 28 May 2011, after major protests, the Syrian Army launched an operation in Rastan and the neighboring town of Talbiseh, which resulted in the suppression of anti-government protests and numerous deaths. The Syrian Army met some armed opposition during the operation,[10] but had gained control of the city by 4 June.
Battle
In late September, there were reports of many Syrian Army defections in Rastan, and the Free Syrian Army claimed to have destroyed 17 armoured vehicles during clashes in the city,[11] using RPGs and booby traps.[12][13] The assault was also, the opposition claimed, supported by Syrian Air Force jets.[3]
By 1 October, government forces had launched a major offensive to reassert control over Rastan. According to opposition activists, these operations resulted in the deaths of approximately 120 individuals, including both civilians and opposition fighters. In a sweeping crackdown, the regime also arrested an estimated 3,000 suspected opposition members.[7][14][15]
The retaking of the city was realized through a coordinated effort involving some 900 loyalist soldiers in conjunction with an armoured contingent of around 250 tanks and other military vehicles .During the operation, government troops reportedly confronted hundreds of defected soldiers; fellow soldiers who had turned against President Bashar al‑Assad. These encounters occurred even as large demonstrations reportedly filled the streets on a Friday during the offensive.[15][16]
The scenes were described with tanks entering Rastan to fight troops who turned against President Bashar al‑Assad; amid a backdrop of widespread protests.[13][15][17]
Aftermath
Insurgent activity continued in the area for months after the major clashes ended. On 24 November, the military conducted an operation in Rastan, during which they killed 16 gunmen and captured a large cache of weapons.[18]
On 1 February 2012, the FSA and Syrian opposition activists reported that the FSA had gained full control of Rastan after four days of intense clashes.[19][20] Photos were posted on the internet showing FSA fighters in the streets of Rastan, standing guard.[21]