Battle of al-Qusayr Al-Qusayr offensive

on 19 may, after 2 days of calm, planes, artillery , mortars bombarded al-qusayr in hours of morning. later in day, government troops, backed-up hundreds of hezbollah militiamen, stormed city several directions. clashes @ 9 points in , around al-qusayr reported during day.

syrian troops entered center of city later in day, seizing town s main square , municipality building, military source said. 1 opposition activist denied government forces made gains, opposition activist confirmed army had captured municipality building , in control of 60% of city.

by second day of battle, state media claimed had restored stability in town s east, , still hunting remnants of terrorists in northern , eastern areas. opposition source reported fighting concentrated in northern part of city.

sohr said there conflicting reports whether or not syrian army fighting inside al-qusayr city, had reports confirmed gathering near western neighborhood of al-qusayr in order lay siege on city . thick black smoke seen direction of air base, north of city, government troops fought retake facility.

activists in qusayr claimed government , hezbollah forces had been pushed starting positions on outskirts of city, while fsa spokesman claimed government force s efforts enter city being blocked fsa. opposition activist once again reaffirmed government forces had captured municipality building , city center , had pushed out rebel units out of of al-qusayr. al jazeera reporter in beirut said seemed army had control of of town.

on third day of fighting, elite hezbollah reinforcements sent lebanon across border al-qusayr. sohr had confirmed, itself, first time fighting raging in city itself. clashes had spread border village of hit, 2 rebels killed , several wounded.

on 22 may, george sabra, president of snc, issued call reinforcements sent al-quasyr stating has weapons or ammunition should send them qusair , homs strengthen resistance . islamic tawheed brigade reportedly sent convoy of 30 vehicles al-quasyr aleppo. later, abu firas of tawid brigade claimed total of 300 support units arrived in al-qusayr, adding sent ambulance, antiaircraft weapon , ammunition. days later, opposition activist denied reinforcements had arrived in al-qusayr, stating no 1 helping qusair other own men . 1 rebel source said government , hezbollah forces had cut of oppositions overland supply lines al-qusayr , others reaffirmed believe government troops had captured 60 percent of city, while government official claimed controlled 80 percent of city.

government troops advancing cautiously amid heavy fighting largely destroyed city. morale among army personal reportedly high news broke killing of al-nusra front commander abu omar. military commanders on ground said battle al-qusayr far on , take 1 more week retake northern part of al-qusayr rebels entrenched. meanwhile, opposition forces still holding al-dabaa air base.

the military reported killed 100 rebel fighters on first day of battle city. opposition activist group sohr stated 76 rebels, 31 hezbollah fighters, 12 government soldiers , militiamen , 8 civilians killed during first 3 days of fighting. per other opposition activist estimates: 90 rebels, 30 hezbollah fighters , 20 government soldiers , militiamen killed during first 2 days. lebanese sources stated 12-20 hezbollah members killed.

by fourth day of fighting, 89 rebels had been killed, including 6 lebanese. on fifth day, number of hezbollah fighters dead had risen 46.

it reported on 24 may government forces advancing in nearby town of hamdiyeh, in attempt cut opposition forces last supply line al-qusayr. army officer stated rebels confined in triangle linking arjun, al-dabaa , northern part of al-qusayr. large force of rebels had retreated al-dabaa air base. approach of army described being slow , methodical, taking on small bit of ground rebels , consolidating before advancing again. few reinforcements reached rebels, due control of surrounding roads government.

on 25 may, government , hezbollah forces had reportedly breached rebel defence lines @ al-dabaa air base northwest , entered facility fighting ongoing, according army. sohr reported fighting taking place around base, while rebels still maintaining control of it, though being heavily shelled government forces.

on 27 may, army , hezbollah troops captured town of hamidiya after heavy clashes. fighting shifted village of haret al-turkumen, army trying capture in order put al-qusayr under complete siege. opposition activist said government forces had captured two-thirds of al-qusayr, while activist said army preventing rebel reinforcements reaching city. reinforcements, trying relieve pressure on al-qusayr, bogged down on outskirts of city. also, lebanese woman killed in rebel mortar attack on hezbollah stronghold of hermel.

on 29 may, state media reported government troops had captured air base after 5 hours of fighting in , around it. hezbollah s manar tv aired footage, relayed tv crew embedded government troops, of tanks being deployed inside air base , soldiers walking around empty hangars. syrian army forces reportedly advancing on nearby town of dabaa. sohr , spokesman rebel farouq battalions confirmed capture of air base next day.

on 30 may, government troops had captured village of rjoun, 6 kilometers northwest of al-qusayr, leaving rebels in situation little chance of escaping northern part of al-qusayr. same day, 300 rebels managed reinforce al-qusayr, breaking through army lines @ village of shamsinn. 11 rebels killed during breakthrough. however, despite this, rebel general selim idris stated rebels in city heavily outgunned , overwhelmed government forces , warned of defeat if west did not react them.

on 31 may, army captured village of jawadiyeh outside al-qusayr, closing entrances leading town , tightening government s siege.

on 5 june, syrian state tv reported syrian army gained full control of city. rebels stated had pulled out of city. 1 hezbollah fighter said took town in rapid overnight offensive, allowing of rebels retreat. source close syrian military said army carrying out mop-up operations in northern quarter of al-qusayr. rebels had reportedly retreated north village of dabaa, still partially under rebel control.

more 500 rebels killed , 1,000 wounded during battle, out of force of 1,900 fighters. 70–110 hezbollah fighters killed, according opposition sources, of @ least 100 confirmed hezbollah fighter. unknown number of syrian army soldiers killed.