Series of intensified clashes in Syria
Starting on 2 December 2022, a series of intensified clashes broke out of the frontlines of the 'Idlib de-escalation zone' located in the governorates of Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Latakia. These confrontations initiated through inghimasi, infiltration and sniper attacks by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied militant groups against positions held by the pro-government Syrian Arab Army (SAA) positions. These attacks were called We Will Not Reconcile by HTS. In 2023, the first territorial offensive since 2020 was carried out by HTS in the area of Milaja.
According to the Syrian Observatory on Human Rights (SOHR), HTS aims to disrupt potential peace negotiations between Turkey and Syria, and is launching the campaign of attacks as a way of rejecting any deal made on the 'de-escalation zone' in Idlib. Consequently, 2023 was the deadliest year of the Syrian civil war since 2020, given the escalating intensity of the clashes.
Timeline of clashes.
December 2022.
On 2 December, a government soldier was shot dead during what the SOHR described as a HTS sniping attack in the western Aleppo countryside. On 3 December, an SAA lieutenant was shot dead in by a HTS sniper in the southern Idlib countryside. Between 6–7 December, two government soldiers and an HTS fighter were killed in clashes on the Idlib frontline, following a Syrian Army infiltration attack on a HTS position in the Al-Ghab Plain, according to SOHR.
On 11 December, clashes broke out after Syrian Army forces advanced on the village of Urum al-Sughra in the western Aleppo countryside. While at least two government soldiers were killed in an Inghimasi attack by HTS fighters on a Syrian Army position on the outskirts of the village of Dadikh on the Idlib frontline. The position was destroyed by HTS fighters after the attack. HTS attacked government military positions at Al-Bayda village in the Turkmen mountains on the Latakia/Idlib frontline, killing three government soldiers.
On 14 December, a government soldier was shot dead by HTS snipers on the Saraqib frontline. On 17 December, heavy clashes took place on the western Aleppo and Latakia frontlines, including heavy artillery bombardments and heavy machine gun fire. The clashes left one government soldier dead.
On 18 December, at least three soldiers were killed in a HTS infiltration on government positions near the village of Arbikh near Taftanaz, north of Saraqib on the Idlib frontline. HTS released footage of the attack the same day. HTS also launched an infiltration operation on a government military position in the town of Qubtan Al-Jabal in the western Aleppo countryside, killing at least three government soldiers and then blowing up the building government forces had been occupying. Footage of the attack was released by HTS.
On 20 December, an SAA lieutenant was killed after government forces attempted to infiltrate HTS positions on the Bastaron frontline in the western countryside of Aleppo. A government soldier was furthermore killed on the Al-Ghab frontline in the northwestern Hama governorate.
On 22 December, heavy clashes were reported on the Al-Fatirah, Maarat Moukhs, Al-Fatera frontlines in the southern Idlib countryside. Seven government soldiers and three HTS fighters were killed in the clashes.
On 23 December, two government soldiers were shot dead by HTS thermal snipers on the Saraqib frontline.
On 24 December, forces of HTS and Ahrar al-Sham launched a sniping operation on the Maarat Muzhas frontline, south of Idlib. Two government soldiers were killed in the operation.
Between 25 and 29 December three government soldiers and a civilian were killed in clashes on the frontline.
On 30 December, HTS targeted a Hezbollah vehicle with an ATGM, killing two soldiers and a Hezbollah commander.
January 2023.
Between 10 and 11 January 12 government soldiers and three HTS fighters were killed in three separate HTS inghimasi attack on SAA positions on the Bastrun frontline in the western Aleppo countryside, and Jabal Zawiya in the southern Idlib countryside.
On 14 January, HTS launched an inghimasi attack on SAA positions on the Nahshaba frontline in the Latakia countryside. Four government soldiers were killed and 2 others were injured in the attack. On the same day, a HTS fighter was killed after SAA forces launched an infiltration attempt on HTS positions on the Al-Nayrab frontline, west of Aleppo.
On 16 January, an SAA lieutenant was shot dead by a sniper of the opposition Coastal Division on the northern Latakia frontline. On the same day, a jihadist and French citizen by the name of 'Abu Hamza' was killed in an infiltration attack by Syrian forces on HTS position on the Jabal Zawiya frontline.
On 16 January, fighters of the al-Qaeda-affiliated Ansar al-Tawhid launched a suicide attack on SAA positions on the Maarat Muzhas frontline, south of Idlib. Two Ansar al-Tawhid fighters were killed in the attack. On the same day, a civilian was killed by government rocket fire on the Al-Bara frontline.
On 17 January, a government soldier was shot dead by a HTS sniper on the Saraqib frontline east of Idlib.
On 18 January, HTS launched an attack on government positions on the Urum al-Kubra frontline in the western countryside of Aleppo, leading to violent clashes between both sides. At least five government soldiers and three HTS fighters were killed in the clashes. ;ref name="18/1/23" ; ;/ref ; Meanwhile, in the northwestern Hama region, a member of the Tiger Forces was killed by an HTS sniper.
On 22 January, a civilian and a government soldier were killed in clashes on the frontline in the western Aleppo countryside.
On 23 January, a government soldier was shot dead by a HTS sniper on the frontline near Nayrab, east of Idlib city. On the same day, two HTS fighters were killed and 4 others were wounded after SAA forces shelled HTS positions with heavy artillery on the Kafr Nouran frontline in the western Aleppo countryside.
On 24 January, Ahrar al-Sham fighters launched an attack on SAA forces on the Al-Tufahiyah frontline in the Latakia countryside. At least three government soldiers were killed in the attack. Also, a HTS fighter died of wounds sustained in clashes with government forces on the Sheikh Suleiman frontline in the Aleppo countryside.
On 26 January, two government soldiers were shot dead during a HTS sniping operation on the Dadikh frontline east of Idlib.
On 28 January, a government soldier was shot dead by a HTS sniper on the Maarat Mokhas frontline in the southern Idlib countryside.
On 30 January, two HTS fighters and two government soldiers were killed in exchanges of artillery fire on the western Aleppo frontline.
February 2023.
On 1 February, eight government soldiers including a major were killed, after HTS rockets hit one of the military headquarters of the government forces near the town of Kafr Rumah. Three government soldiers were killed later in the day by HTS sniper attacks, near the town of Kafr Nabl.
On 3 February, a government soldier was shot dead by a HTS sniper on the Saraqib frontiline. In the northern Latakia countryside, seven government soldiers and six HTS fighters were killed during an HTS attack on government positions.
On 5 February, one HTS fighter and one government soldier were killed in exchanges of rocket and artillery fire on the Idlib frontline.
Clashes reduced in the aftermath of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.
On 9 February, two government soldiers were killed in a HTS sniping campaign on the Kabani frontline in the Latakia countryside.
On 18 February, a government soldiers was killed in clashes on the western Aleppo countryside.
On 22 February, two government soldiers were killed in a HTS sniping campaign on the Afs frontline in the southern Idlib countryside.
On 25 February, a HTS fighter was killed and another was wounded after government army forces fired a missile at a HTS vehicle in Fuleyfel village in the southern Idlib countryside.
On 28 February, a soldier was killed by in a HTS attack on government positions on the Latakia frontline.
March 2023.
Between 1 and 2 March, two government soldiers and a fighter of Ahrar al-Sham were killed in clashes on the Al-Ghab Plain and Jabal al Turkmen areas of the frontline.
Between 4 and 5 March, three government soldiers were killed by a HTS sniper attacks on the Saraqib frontline and Atarib frontline, in the Idlib countryside.
Between 11 and 12 March, two government soldiers and a fighter of HTS were killed in clashes in Western Aleppo countryside.
In the evening on 16 March, HTS forces launched an inghimasi attack on government positions on the frontline near al-Fatatira village in the Southern Idlib countryside. At least five government soldiers were killed and another 6 were injured. This was the first HTS inghimasi attack since the recent earthquake.
On 17 March, two government soldiers were killed in a HTS infiltration operation on the Nahshaba frontline, in the Latakia countryside.
On 23 March, at least five HTS militants and five government soldiers were killed and several others were severely wounded after HTS forces launched infiltration attempt on Syrian Army positions on the western Aleppo countryside.
On 25 March, at least two government soldiers and an HTS militant were killed in a HTS infiltration attempt on Al-Ruwaiha frontline in southern Idlib countryside.
On 31 March, four government soldiers and an HTS fighter were killed during clashes in the southern Idlib countryside.
April 2023.
On 1 April, five government soldiers were killed during clashes near the 46th regiment in the western Aleppo countryside. A fighter of the al-Sham legion was also killed in and a government soldier were also killed in artillery bombardments elsewhere.
On 4 April, three government soldiers were killed and 4 others were injured in an infiltration attempt by HTS militants on the Jabal al-Zawiyah frontline in the southern Idlib countryside.
On 11 April, three government soldiers were killed and 9 others were wounded after HTS forces fired an AGTM at a Syrian Army truck on the frontline in the western countryside of Aleppo.
On 14 April, three government soldiers were killed during clashes in Western Hama and Aleppo countrysides. On the same day, a Syrian army tank was destroyed by an AGTM fired by opposition forces on the Kafr Nabl frontline, south of Idlib.
Between 19 and 20 April, seven government soldiers and a HTS militant were killed in clashes and infiltration attempts on the Idlib frontline.
May 2023.
Between 1 and 6 May, five government soldiers were killed and another 6 were injured in HTS attacks on the Idlib frontline.
On 26 May, commander-in-chief of the Russian special forces in Syria, colonel Oleg Viktorovich Pitchvesti was killed by HTS artillery strikes on a government military post on the Al-Jeb Al-Ahmar frontline in the Latakia countryside. Later in the day, Russian forces conducted their first airstrikes in Idlib Province since December, targeting HTS positions in the southern Idlib countryside.
Between 28 and 30, three government soldiers, including an Al-Baggara tribesman of the Baqir Brigade, were killed in clashes in the Idlib 'De-escalation' zone.
June 2023.
In early June, clashes reduced in intensity. Between 30 May and 8 June, only two government soldiers and a member of Suqour al-Sham had reportedly been killed in the clashes.
On 10 June, two government soldiers and a HTS special forces militant were killed in clashes on the Saraqib, al-Fatterah and
Maaret Elnaasan frontlines Idlib countryside.
On 12 June, two HTS militants were killed by government army bombardments on the Kafr Nouran frontline, west of Aleppo city.
On 16 June, two HTS militants were killed whilst planting landmines on the Al-Bara frontline in the Idlib countryside.
On 21 June, three civilians were killed in the town of Kafr Nouran by SAA artillery shelling, and one civilian was killed in the town of Ain Al-Hamam by HTS shelling.
On 22 June, three civilians were killed in the government-held town of Tell Salhab by an unidentified drone attack. Additionally, in the town of Sarmin, two civilians were killed due to SAA shelling.
On 23 June, a government soldier was shot dead by a HTS sniper on the Kafr Nabl frontline. Later in the day, a civilian was killed in Qardaha, the hometown of the ruling Al-Assad family. The incident occurred when two rockets were fired from an unidentified drone.
On 24 June, two civilians were killed by Russian airstrikes near the village of Basbat, west of Jisr ash-Shughur. While a civilians was killed by an HTS drone attack in the town of Deir Shamil.
On 25 June, the Russian Air Force conducted the most intense air strikes in the Idlib province since the onset of the clashes. During these airstrikes six civilians and three HTS fighters were killed and 30 others were injured when a Russian aircraft bombed a vegetable market in