Fighting in the countryside Al-Qusayr offensive

map of offensive

on 11 april, syrian army, along large force of hezbollah fighters, attacked , captured strategic hilltop village of tell al-nabi mando rebel forces. fighting still continued next day described sporadic. 40 hezbollah militiamen , syrian soldiers killed in fierce battle hill. importance of tell al-nabi mando in strategic location. force controls tell al-nabi mando can fire on border villages in area. because of this, people pro-government villages fled after opposition had captured hill.

on 14 april, after warning lebanon retaliate hezbollah s participation on side of syrian government forces, rebels launched rocket attack on border against lebanese towns of hermel , al-qasr, killing 2 lebanese, including child, , injuring 6 others.

on 17 april, government bombardment of al-buwaydah al-sharqiyah killed @ least 12 people, including 2 women , 2 children. meanwhile, fighting raged on outskirts of town abil. opposition activists reported 700 hezbollah militiamen deployed in town of al-nazariyeh near al-qusayr.

on 18 april, fsa took control of al-dab air base near city of al-qusayr. base had no aircraft , being used garrison ground troops. meanwhile, syrian army took control on town of abel. sohr director described army takeover of town saying hamper rebel movements between al-qusayr , homs city. according him, capture of airport have relieved pressure on rebels in area, loss of abel made situation more complicated. 21 rebel fighters, including 1 commander, killed during fighting abel.

on 20 april, government , hezbollah troops captured village of radwaniyeh, tightening siege of al-qusayr. opposition activists stated coordination between military , hezbollah strong , hezbollah fighters provided air-cover during advance. hezbollah assault on burhaniya had started. fresh fighting reported @ tell al-nabi mando, other clashes raging in villages of saqraja , abu huri. 1 activist al-qusayr described situation bad government forces trying capture countryside around city, in order attack city itself.

on 21 april, burhaniya , saqraja captured in government advance , army secured road linking lebanese-syrian border along orontes river west of al-qusayr. @ same time, new round of rebel rocket strikes hit lebanese towns of hermel , al-qasr, in retaliation hezbollah participation in offensive. point, 8 villages had fallen government offensive. hezbollah forces advancing bekaa valley toward al-qusayr, while syrian army moving south homs in pincer movement.

on 22 april, fighting continued between rebels , hezbollah forces in other villages around al-qusayr. rebels alleged 18 hezbollah fighters killed in clashes. rebel commander claimed rebels recaptured villages of abou houri , al-mouh. however, there no independent confirmation.

on 23 april, more rebel rocket strikes hit lebanese town of hermel, syrian military source insisted capture of al-qusayr days away, @ .

by 24 april, front line had moved village of ayn al-tannur, few miles northwest of al-qusayr. government forces waiting until positions in villages west of orontes river reinforced before advanced on al-qusayr.

on 26 april, according sohr, heavy fighting took place on road homs coast. also, clashes ongoing in village of kamam, between homs , al-qusayr, rebels making attempts capture it.

on 29 april, 6 rockets syria hit macharih el-qaa in bekaa valley, in lebanon, injuring 1 person.

on 2 may, clash took place in jusiya area near lebanese border between rebels , syrian army, pro-government militiamen, include hezbollah members.

on 4 may, according sohr, orchard area surrounding al-qusayr seeing fighting between army , rebel forces. several parts of al-qusayr under bombardment. clashes left 5 rebels dead, including rebel commander. fighters hezbollah s elite forces participated in clashes , able take control of of villages surrounding city in previous days.

on 5 may, al-qusayr bombed army while fighting raged on edge of town. opposition snc called rebel reinforcements sent al-qusayr. iranian press tv reported military had captured last major rebel stronghold east of city, tal hanash, , completing encirclement of al-qusayr.

on 6 may, clash took place on edge of town of al-sloumiya , rocket fired syria towards lebanon fell on al-qasr in hermel, 6 others fell between dabbabiya , noura in akkar. fighting ongoing second day on outskirts of al-qusayr.

by 7 may, rebels stated in danger of losing al-qusayr after being swept surrounding villages.

on 8 may, heavy fighting continued in al-qusayr, mediation underway between government forces , local elements make rebels withdraw town although many still refusing leave. there unconfirmed reports hezbollah forces had massacred 30 people attempting leave city , taken bodies away.

on 9 may, syrian army took control of shumariyeh, near al-qusayr, , continued advance towards village of ghassaniyeh. meanwhile, 3 shells syria hit hermel, in lebanon, , 2 others fell on macharia al-qaa.

on 10 may, according military source, army dropped leaflets on city warning citizens evacuate al-qusayr ahead of assault. opposition activist, toured 2 villages on edge of town, denied stating no leaflets dropped. however, local resident lives near al-qusair confirmed leaflet drop. hezbollah shelling of city hit main water tank , filtration station. point, estimated 25,000 civilians remained in city. reported 3 lebanese rebel fighters killed in fighting in area , 36 missing.

on 11 may, rebels recaptured abel, potentially easing movements of opposition forces between al-qusayr , homs. however, military captured once again next day. during advance, syrian army managed break siege of christian village of ghassaniyeh. village besieged rebel forces 8 months.

on 13 may, government forces captured towns of damina al-gharbiyah, haidariyeh , ish al-warwar, north of al-qusayr, allowing them block supplies rebels in city. left 3 more targets military needed capture before reaching northern outskirts of al-qusayr, including al-dab air base rebels captured previous month, before surrounding city. army had secured southern , eastern approaches al-qusayr , force advancing west of town.

on 18 may, rebels ambushed hezbollah fighters along banks of assi river on syrian side of lebanese border while attempted enter syria. 10 hezbollah militiamen killed. still, next morning, new hezbollah force reportedly heading towards al-qusayr. on night of 18 19 may, heavy fighting raged between army , rebels around al-dab air base. army bombarded rebel-held village of boueida al-sharqiya.