| Northern Aleppo offensive (February–July 2014) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theinter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War and theBattle of Aleppo (2012-2016) | |||||||
.svg) Map showing the ISIS-held Azaz pocket in early February 2014 | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Islamic Front Al-Nusra Front[3] |  Islamic State | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Abu Omar al-Shishani | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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TheNorthern Aleppo offensive (February–July 2014) was amilitary offensive launched by armedSyrian opposition forces led by theFree Syrian Army against theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the northernAleppo Governorate. The offensive resulted in ISIL's withdrawal from the city ofAzaz,Menagh Military Airbase, and a number of towns and villages in the area.[4]
ISIS captured the city ofAzaz from theNorthern Storm Brigade in September 2013. This resulted in the closure of the Bab al-Salam border crossing fromTurkey further north. The Northern Storm Brigade and theal-Tawhid Brigade withdrew from the city and were stationed in its outskirts.[9]
Full-blown conflict between ISIL and other rebel groups erupted in January 2014. In the first few days of the conflict,al-Qaeda'sal-Nusra Front andAhrar al-Sham brokered a ceasefire agreement with ISIL in the city ofAleppo and its northern countryside. However, ISIL continued its attacks on other rebel groups and killed more than 24 rebel fighters across northern Syria. The newly createdArmy of Mujahideen also pledged to fight ISIL in both Aleppo andIdlib.[10]
On 13 February 2014, theKurdish Front Brigade, theNorthern Storm Brigade, and theDescendents of Messengers Brigade declared the beginning of a battle to recapture Azaz and the rest of northern Aleppo from ISIL,code named theBattle of Dignity. The groups declared the front to be amilitary exclusion zone and warned civilians to leave the area. The first clashes began in the village ofMaryamin, Afrin and resulted in the Kurdish Front capturing the village. Clashes spread toDeir Jamal and several other villages.[11] The top commander of the Kurdish Front, Alaa Ajabu, waskilled in action during the fighting 4 days later.[5]
By 28 February, ISIL forces withdrew from Azaz,Menagh Military Airbase, Deir Jamal, and several other villages. ISIL forces from the area retreated to their strongholds ofal-Bab,Jarabulus andManbij in eastern Aleppo.[4]
On 16 May 2014, 9 rebel groups formed the "Free Syria Operations Room", announced the beginning of the "Battle of Northern Earthquake", and declared the northern and eastern countrysides of Aleppo a military zone. Clashes took place in and near the town ofal-Rai. ISIL reinforcements then arrived in al-Rai from Jarabulus to fight the rebels.[7]
In July 2014, ISIL launched a large-scale counter-offensive and recaptured the village ofBahwartah, north ofAkhtarin, as well as 5 other villages. However, theal-Nusra Front and the Tawhid Brigade soon recaptured 3 of these villages. In response to the ISIL offensive, 11 rebel groups threatened to withdraw from the frontlines in the area due to the lack of support.[12]
