On 13 March 2016, jihadist fighters from al-Nusra Front and

Jund al-Aqsa Jund al-Aqsa ( ar, جند الأقصى ''Jund al-‘Aqṣā'', "Garrison of al-Aqsa"), later known as Liwa al-Aqsa after 7 February 2017, was a Salafist jihadist organization that was active during the Syrian Civil War. Formerly known as Sara ...

launched an overnight attack against the 13th Division headquarters in the town of

Ma'arrat al-Nu'man Maarat al-Numan ( ar, مَعَرَّةُ النُّعْمَانِ, Maʿarrat an-Nuʿmān), also known as al-Ma'arra, is a city in northwestern Syria, south of Idlib and north of Hama, with a population of about 58,008 before the Civil War (2004 ...

. According to social media activists in support of the Syrian opposition, Jabhat al-Nusra attacked Division 13 over local protesters and demonstrations.

Division 13 capture

The Division headquarters located in Ma'arrat al-Nu'man was overrun in a nighttime attack by a joint Al-Nusra Front and Jund al-Asqa assault force. Two Division storage facilities that were allegedly filled with the U.S.-built anti-tank TOW missiles were surrendered to the attackers. This claim was denied by Division 13 leader Ahmad al-Sa'aoud, insisting Al-Nusra Front captured only 'light weapons and ammunition' and that all of the groups anti-tank missiles and mortars were secured. The Division 13’s depots in Maarat al-Nu'maan and three nearby towns were overrun; Hesh, Khan Shaykhun and Tal Aas. An unspecified number of armored vehicles and a tank were reportedly captured. Al-Nusra fighters conducted door-to-door searches, ultimately detaining 40 Division fighters including several top leaders of the rebel group. By the end of the battle, Division 13 abandoned all its posts in Maarat al-Nu'man and the bulk of its leadership fled to

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

. However, civilians opposed to the takeover took to the streets and stormed Nusra's HQ in the city, freeing some prisoners. A total of 11 combatants died during the clashes.

Aftermath

Unrest and civilian resistance against al-Nusra rule continued for coming months. On 12 June 2016, a demonstration took place in Maarat al-Nu'man against al-Nusra's authoritarianism, with protestors calling Abu Muhammed al-Jolani an "Iranian nark". From 6 to 8 June of the next year, clashes broke out between

Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) (, transliteration: ', "Organization for the Liberation of the Levant" or "Levant Liberation Committee"), commonly referred to as Tahrir al-Sham, is a Sunni Islamist political and armed organisation involved in the ...

and Sham Legion in Maarrat al-Nu'man. The 13th Division and the Free Police joined the fighting on 8 June. By the evening of 8 June, HTS captured both the 13th Division and the Sham Legion's headquarters in Maarat al-Nu'man and killed Col. Tayser al-Samahi, the head of the Free Police in the town. On 9 June, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the

Free Idlib Army The Free Idlib Army ( ''Jaysh ʾIdlib al-Ḥarr'') is a Syrian rebel coalition consisting of 3 armed groups from northwestern Syria affiliated with the Free Syrian Army: the 13th Division, the Northern Division, and the Mountain Hawks Brigade. ...

and Tahrir al-Sham in the town and the latter ordered the 13th Division to be disbanded.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maarrat al-Nu'man Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2016 March 2016 events in Syria Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the al-Nusra Front Idlib Governorate in the Syrian civil war Battles of the Syrian civil war Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Free Syrian Army