On September 30, 2015, in response to an official request from the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad, Russian aerospace forces began to strike at ISIS positions (Western media say that some anti-Assad forces from the composition were also attacked from the air the so-called "moderate Syrian opposition"). After undermining the combat power of the Islamists as a result of the air strikes of the Russian air forces on their positions in different parts of the country, the Syrian army launched an offensive
The "Beginning of the End" of the Islamists in Syria
Since the beginning of October, for a whole week, the Russian Air Forces bombed the infrastructure of ISIS militants. On October 7, 2015, ships of the Caspian Flotilla launched 26 sea-based cruise missiles for ISIS targets in Syria. On the same day, the offensive of the Syrian army began. October was a month in stubborn battles. The first attacks on militants were inflicted north of the city of Hama, the center of the province of the same name.
A foothold was formed north of Hama by the militants for attacking it, resembling in shape a "gut" stretched from north to south, inside of which are the cities of Kifr-Zita and Latamina (the so-called "Latamino ledge", on the map below it has a kind of green "appendix "stretches towards Hama). In their direction, the first blow of government troops was dealt, which followed after massive air strikes by the Russian air forces.
The successes of the Syrian army were not slow in coming. And although a full-fledged boiler did not work, the Islamists in a hurry left the long-prepared bridgehead. The offensive to the east of the Latamin ledge was also successful, but to the west of it it was stopped by the Islamists. But on the whole, this operation of the Syrian troops became successful, as the immediate threat to Hama was eliminated, and the militants were driven north to the province of Idlib, which at the beginning of October was almost completely controlled by the anti-government armed opposition.
Continuation of the offensive on Idlib
The offensive of the Syrian army continued northward from the city of Murika along the strategic highway connecting the city centers of two neighboring provinces - Hamu and Idlib. The first in this direction was the city of El Taiba. Thus, the Syrian army established control over the aforementioned highway.
After a three-year stay under the control of militants, El Taiba returns to civilian life. Among its inhabitants there were many who fought on the side of the militants, so their adaptation to the new situation will be difficult. To solve this problem, the city established national reconciliation committees.
The situation in the Aleppo area at the beginning of October 2015
After the first successes in October, the offensive of the Syrian army continued in the area of the city of Aleppo. Here in the previous periods of the confrontation, a particularly difficult situation developed, and the front line was curved by a bizarre spiral (see map below).
To the south-east of Aleppo around the city of Safira is located territory controlled by the Syrian army. To the north-east of it are areas captured by ISIS militants. To the east of Safira is the Kweiris government airbase, where Syrian units have been under siege since April 2013.
The actions of the Syrian army near Aleppo in October
This period of time was extremely stressful. On October 15, the Syrian army began to attack with the participation of Iranian and Iraqi allies, as well as Shiite fighters from the Hezbollah group, in the direction of the Damascus-Aleppo highway with the prospect of exiting through Idlib province to the region of Western Latakia. During the period from October 16 to October 23, the advancing Syrian units managed to liberate several settlements south of Aleppo, in particular the villages of Tal Sabin and Al-Jaberia, as well as the city of Al-Mofles. The military managed to occupy the strategic heights of Senobarat northwest of the village of Al-Wazih, which allowed them to control the maneuvers of militants in the city of Karasi.
At the same time, the offensive developed from the area of the city of Zafira in a northeast direction with the aim of releasing the Kveiris air base. Here the offensive was conducted by the Syrian troops and Hezbollah detachments from two directions, trying to close the circle of militant circles in the Kveiris area. During the offensive, the cities of Tell Sebain and Al Jdeida were liberated.
ISIS militants counterattack in the Hama area
Seeking to thwart the Syrian army’s advance south of Aleppo, an adversary represented by ISIS and the al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, called Jebhat al-Nusra, attacked army positions east of Hama on October 22. As a result, they cut the Hama-Hanasir-Aleppo highway, cutting off the supply routes of the Syrian troops advancing south of Aleppo. At the same time, reinforcements of militants moved from the Raqqah region, which is the capital of ISIS, towards Hama. Western media hastened to report that the offensive by government forces in the Aleppo region had “choked”.
However, they gave out wishful thinking. Promptly responding to the changing situation, the command of the Syrian army deployed additional troops to the area east of Hama, where fierce battles unfolded in the area of the village of Nasaraya.
Meanwhile, the offensive by the Syrian army south of Aleppo continued. On October 23, the villages of Tell Mahdia, Al-Qurasi, Al-Khuweiz and Al-Imara were liberated. The offensive towards Kveiris did not stop, the town of Al-Jubal near the city of Es Safira was liberated here.
Counterattack of militants in the Safira area
In an effort to prevent the release of the Kveyris air base, the militants regrouped their forces and on November 1 launched a counterattack on the city of Safira. Their goal was to cut the supply lines for the advancing units of the Syrian army and Hezbollah with their subsequent destruction. The attack on Kveiris had to be postponed, and part of the troops was transferred to the Safira area to repel enemy attacks. On November 1-2, militants attacked Safira 15 times, but all of them were repulsed by Syrian soldiers, and this was a real victory, as bloodless militants stopped the attack and retreated. The Syrian army, regrouping, continued the operation to release Kveiris.
Continued offensive in the Aleppo area in November and December 2015
On November 2, the Syrian army completely surrounded the city of El Hader in the south of Aleppo, which was the base for the militants from Jebhat al-Nusra. This city is located near the Hama-Hanasir-Aleppo strategic highway, which government troops took control the next day.
In the direction of Kveiris air base, the offensive of the Syrian army continued. The month of November finally brought success to the operation to release it.
On November 12, El Hader, previously surrounded, was liberated.
In mid-November, fighting began north of Aleppo, as well as in the city itself, where the army holds part of the neighborhoods and militants settled in another part of the city.
By the end of November, army units liberated all villages around the Kveiris airfield and cut the lines of communication between Aleppo and Raqqa, the capital of ISIS.
In retaliation for their failures, militants fired rockets at Aleppo twice in the first half of December. Killed dozens of civilians. The Syrian army, developing an offensive near Aleppo, liberated the city of Maatra on December 22.
Syrian Army operations in 2016
On January 12, 2016, the Syrian government announced that its army and allied forces had established “full control” over the strategically located city of Salma, whose pre-war population was predominantly Sunni. The city is located in the northwestern province of Latakia. After that, government troops continue to advance north, driving the igilov fighters to the Turkish-Syrian border.
On January 24, 2016, the Syrian government announced that its troops had captured the city of Rabia, predominantly Sunni. This is the last major city held by militants in the province of West Latakia. Russian air strikes reportedly played an important role in the success of the operation. The capture of Rabia seriously threatens the supply routes for militants from Turkey.