On 7 May 2011, during the
Syrian revolution, the
Syrian military
The Syrian Armed Forces () are the military forces of Syria.
Up until the fall of Bashar al-Assad's Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region, Ba'ath Party Ba'athist Syria, regime in December 2024, the Syrian Arab Armed Forces were the sta ...
launched an operation in the Syrian city of
Baniyas. The government said it was targeting terrorist groups, while the
Syrian opposition called it a crackdown against pro-democracy protesters. The operation lasted until 14 May 2011.
Prelude
On 9 April 2011, unknown gunmen shot at a military bus traveling through Baniyas, killing nine soldiers.
On 10 April, protests were held in Baniyas in which violent clashes erupted between security forces and protesters. Between three and six people were reportedly shot dead, while one police officer was reportedly killed by unknown gunmen.
On 14 April, snipers killed a
Syrian Army soldier in the city, according to state media.
The operation
On 7 May, preceded by the
successful operation against protestors in Daraa days prior, Syrian Army units entered Baniyas from three directions. They advanced into
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
districts of the multi-ethnic town. Heavy gunfire was reported as the operation began. The next day, 8 May, around 30 tanks were seen patrolling the city, with some of them positioned in the city center.
Syrian Navy boats were also reportedly holding positions near the city's coastline. Special forces units allegedly entered the northern part of the city, from where heavy gunfire was heard.
On 14 May, the military began to withdraw from the city, effectively ending the siege.
See also
References
External links
By All Means Necessary! ''
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Headquartered in New York City, the group investigates and reports on issues including War crime, war crimes, crim ...
'', 16 December 2011
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Baniyas Siege
Battles of the Syrian civil war in 2011
Baniyas
Tartus Governorate in the Syrian civil war
Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government
May 2011 in Syria