Battle of Baghuz
| date | February 9, 2019 to March 23, 2019 |
|---|---|
| place |
 al-Baghuz Fawqani 
|
| output | Coalition victory |
| consequences | End of the IS caliphate |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
|
Mazlum Kobanê (SDF Supreme Commander), Jiya Furat (Battle Commander) |
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (Supreme Leader of IS), Abu Khaled Al-Ansari (Supreme Commander of ISIL)
|
The Battle of Baghuz , or the Battle of al-Baghuz-Faqwani , was the decisive battle against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In June 2014, they proclaimed a caliphate that, as a state-like entity, claimed territories in Iraq and Syria. After gaining numerous territories, their opposing armed forces went on the offensive from 2016, supported by air strikes by international partners as part of Operation Inherent Resolve . By January 2019, ISIL was completely subdued, except for a small patch in the valley of the central Euphrates river. A fight then developed near the town of al-Baghuz Faqwani , led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which effectively developed into a lengthy siege to protect the trapped civilians, which could only be ended on March 23, 2019.
Starting position
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Due to the confusion of the occupation of Iraq in 2003–2011 after the Third Gulf War , Islamist groups were able to recruit capable military and intelligence agents from the former Iraqi state. In the course of the civil war in Syria since 2011 , these were able to spread to Syrian territory. The Syrian central state was too weak to control the areas in the north and east of the country. The Kurdish fighters of the People's Defense Units YPG / YPJ developed into the main opponents of ISIL . The international partners against IS provided them with weapons and military training, which increased their effectiveness dramatically over time.
Embedded in the coalition with other Syrian rebel groups, around 15,000 fighters from the Kurdish-led SDF faced about 5,000 remaining ISIL fighters on the north bank of the Euphrates for the last battle. In the border region between Iraq and Syria, the scattered settlements of the village of al-Baghuz Faqwani are located on Syrian territory. The river meanders around the village and lies to the northwest, where the last Baghuz-Bukhamal bridge still stood. Armed forces on the southern bank ensured that the ISIL fighters could not be supplied via the river. Most of the ISIL fighters were suspected of being foreign Islamists who could not go into hiding in the regional tribes and would fight to the death.
By February 1, the ISIL fighters had been pushed back to an area of about four square kilometers. With tens of thousands of civilians pouring out of the trapped area, the attacks were halted for about ten days. The official start of the Battle of Baghuz is therefore February 9, 2019. On this day, French Defense Minister Florence Parly visited the Franco-American fire support base in Saham, where she proclaimed the full support of the SDF ground forces.
course
At the beginning of the battle, the combined armed forces suspected only about 400 to 1000 fighters in the enclosed area and that the majority of civilians had already fled. The battle began with heavy artillery and US bomber bombing on the afternoon of February 9th. The fighting continued into the following night, with both fighting on the bridge and a counterattack by ISIL at 4 a.m. About 200 civilians were received through the escape corridor.
Despite bad weather, the SDF fighters initially made great strides, but increasingly encountered a network of tunnels and mined areas that had to be laboriously cleaned up. The daily gain in terrain therefore decreased again by February 14th. On February 16, SDF commander Jiya Furat reported that ISIL was only 700 meters away. On February 19, there was a final ultimatum for the trapped fighters to surrender. Dozens of trucks carrying women and children took advantage of the ceasefire to flee the enclave . On the night of February 20, two more air strikes were carried out into the area.
On February 20, there were various estimates that around 120 to 300 fighters were expected, according to the SDF, and at least 100 civilians remaining. The UN suspected about 200 families still trapped. With the latest attacks, the SDF suspected that the remaining civilians would leave the area by February 21. As they advanced, the forces were surprised at the enormous numbers of civilians they encountered. The UNOCHA in Syria stated on February 26th that over 9,000 people have fled in the past few days, 99% of them women and children. By March 1, the estimated number of refugees rose to around 15,000 last month. Among them were the women and children of the ISIL fighters, some of whom revealed themselves in the screening centers (reception centers).
On the evening of March 1, 2019, the SDF's attacks resumed. According to their information, the remaining area only extended to a few tent cities that were connected by tunnels. The last ISIL fighters were hiding in the tunnels and caves, ready for heavy resistance. According to the refugees, there should no longer be any civilians in the area. Previous air strikes into the area ceased and the SDF made slow progress through mined areas and under fire from ISIL snipers, assisted by attack helicopters securing the advance over the area.
On March 4, the SDF reported that they were still encountering civilians apparently being used as human shields. They set up an escape corridor through which about 500 people left the area that day. Around 150 ISIL fighters were also suspected to be among them. About 3,000 people fled the area on March 5. On March 6, 400 ISIL fighters surrendered. This type of fighting continued until March 10, 2019.
On the evening of March 10th, air strikes were carried out on suspected arsenals. The ISIL fighters replied and also sent suicide bombers into the opposing front. The SDF reported a number of losses on March 11th. ISIL released one last propaganda film that day. On the following day, however, hundreds of fighters surrendered, some with their families. On March 13, it was reported that over 3,000 people had surrendered in the past two days.
On March 17, the SDF reported that 34,000 civilians had left the area since the battle began. Among them were about 5000 fighters, another 1306 ISIL fighters were killed and 520 captured in combat. They put their own losses at 11 dead and 61 injured. On March 18 and 19, the advancing troops mainly encountered the injured, but now suspected up to 5000 remaining ISIL fighters in an insane network of tunnels and caves.
The remaining area under the slopes of the Baghuz cliff ( Jabal Baghuz ) has now been covered with massive air strikes. When advancing on March 23, the SDF found essentially only dead and wounded. While gunfire could still be heard, the flag was hoisted in the camp above ground and victory was declared.
consequences
Thousands of IS fighters from foreign countries were arrested during the battle. A dispute arose in some European countries as to whether these citizens should be returned and brought to justice in their country, or whether this should be left to the victorious armed forces and countries.
With the end of the fighting, support for the reintegration of the troops is necessary. The US expects $ 200 to 300 million in 2020, the majority of which will be spent on paramilitary police forces. This also seems necessary because many IS fighters were probably able to flee and continue to carry out attacks in the region.
Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced as a result of the fighting. Due to the battle of Baghuz, the Al-Haul refugee camp with 70,000 residents was several times overcrowded at the end of March. Around 9,000 foreigners were interned in a cordoned off area.
Web links
See also
- Chronicle of the civil war in Syria 2019
- Martin Lemke , German Islamist who fled shortly before the battle
Individual evidence
- ^ 'Intense' clashes as SDF make last push against ISIS . Retrieved February 16, 2019.
- ^ US-backed Fighters Launch Final Push to Defeat IS in Syria . Retrieved February 16, 2019.
- ↑ In Syria, US backed forces launch battle for last Islamic State foothold .
- ^ Cornered Islamic State group fighters 'refuse to surrender to SDF, seek exit to Idlib' .
- ↑ Daesh terrorists in Syria face two choices: Surrender or death . 19th February 2019.
- ↑ Air strikes hit Islamic State pocket as Syrian fighters press attack . In: Reuters , February 19, 2019.
- ↑ The last group of ISIS militants are mainly holed up at Hawi al-Dandal, they are ~ 120 elements, using ~ 100 civilian as a human shields, and they are led by an Iraqi terrorist. the SDF have evacuated by trucks on yesterday a group of civilians and ISIS surrendering elements / families. .
- ^ Thousands Evacuate Last Islamic State Hold-Out in Syria . In: Voice of America , February 26, 2019.
- ^ The Latest: US-backed Syrian forces to resume assault on IS . In: Washington Post , March 1, 2019.
- ↑ ISIS tactics slow SDF offensive on final enclave in Syria's Baghouz .
- ↑ SDF launches assault on last ISIS enclave in eastern Syria . The Guardian. March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
- ↑ US-backed SDF says fight against ISIL enters 'final moments' .
- ↑ SDF: Estimated 5,000 ISIS fighters and their families remain in Baghouz . In: Rudaw , March 17, 2019.
- ↑ http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/300320191