Back عملية درع الفرات Arabic Fərat Qalxanı əməliyyatı Azerbaijani فرات قالخانی عملیاتی AZB Аперацыя «Шчыт Еўфрата» Byelorussian Operació Escut de l'Eufrates Catalan Türkische Militäroffensive in Nordsyrien 2016–2017 German Operasyonê Qalxanê Fırati DIQ Επιχείρηση Ασπίδα του Ευφράτη Greek Operación Escudo del Éufrates Spanish عملیات سپر فرات Persian

Operation Euphrates Shield

Operation Euphrates Shield
Part of the Turkey–IS conflict, the Rojava conflict, the military intervention against IS, and Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war

  Turkish-backed opposition control
  SDF control
  Syrian Army control
  Islamic State control
For a more detailed, up-to-date, interactive map, see here.
Date24 August 2016 – 29 March 2017
(7 months and 5 days)[13]
Location
Aleppo Governorate, Syria
ActionTurkey and allies secure control of Syria–Turkey border and region between Afrin and Manbij regions.
Result

Turkish and SNA victory[14]

  • Clashes erupt between Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and SDF, YPG withdraws to east of Euphrates[15] though Turkey disputes this[16]
  • 50,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey have returned to the areas which were taken under control since the beginning of the intervention.[17]
Territorial
changes
  • Turkish-backed Syrian rebels captured a total of 2,055 square kilometres (793 sq mi),[18] including 230 settlements,[19] increasing FSA-controlled territory in the region to 2,225 square kilometres (859 sq mi)[20]
  • Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-held territory along the Turkish–Syrian border completely captured by the Turkish-backed rebels[21]
  • Turkish-backed rebels capture all settlements in the Jarabulus area from the SDF[22]
  • Turkish-backed rebels capture al-Bab from ISIL.[23]
  • The SDF is prevented from connecting the cantons.[24]
  • The SDF hand over some territory to the Syrian Army.[25][26]
    • Belligerents
     Turkey
    Syrian opposition Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army[1]
    Support:
     United States[a][2][3][4]
     Russia[a][5][6][7][8]
     United Kingdom[a][9]    		  Islamic State

    Syrian Democratic Forces[10]
    International Freedom Battalion[11]
    Support:
     United States[a][12]

     Syria (minor clashes)
    Support:
     Russia
    Commanders and leaders
    Turkey Lt. Gen. Zekai Aksakallı[27]
    (Operations chief commander)
    Turkey Lt. Gen. İsmail Metin Temel[28][29]
    (Second Army commander)
    Syrian opposition Col. Ahmed Othman[30]
    (Sultan Murad Division commander)
    Syrian opposition Fehim İsa[31]
    (Sultan Murad Division commander)
    Others
    • Syrian opposition Brig. Gen. Sayf Balud[32]
      (Hazma Division)
      Mahir Basha[33]
      (Muntasar Billah Brigade commander)
      Mustafa Cahit[33]
      (Muntasar Billah Brigade commander)
      Syrian opposition Mohammad Abu Ibrahim[34]
      (Levant Front field commander)
      Syrian opposition Mustafa Sejari[34]
      (Al-Moutasem Brigade political leader)
      Syrian opposition Abu Mohammed Kafr Zita[12]
      (Liberation Brigade commander)
      Mahmoud Abu Hamza[35]
      (Descendants of Saladin Brigade commander)
      Capt. Abdul Salam Abdul Razaq[35]
      Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement commander, until 28 January)
      Capt. Mohammed Abu Mustafa[36]
      (Sham Legion commander)
      Abu Jafer[37]
      (Brigade of Conquest commander)
      (Artillery base commander of Levant Front)
      Syrian opposition Yusuf Sibli
      (Qabasin Military Council commander)[citation needed]
      Syrian opposition Brig. Gen. Abdul Razaq Aslan[38]
      (Police force head)
      Syrian opposition Taha Atrach[citation needed]
      (1st Aleppo Division commander)
    DOW
    • Syrian opposition Ali Şeyh Salih[39] (DOW)[40]
      (Sultan Murad Division field commander)
      Syrian opposition Muhammad al-Gabi (DOW)[41][36]
      (Liberation Army commander)
    KIA
    • Abu Ansari[42]  †
      (Emir of al-Bab)
      Abu Hussein al-Tunusi[43]  †
      (ISIL southern Raqqa field commander)
      Abu Khalid Urduni[44] †
      (Amir of al-Bab)

    Muhammad Ahmed[45]
    (Jarabulus Military Council commander)

    Adnan Abu Amjad[46]
    (Manbij Military Council commander)
    Units involved
    Orders of battle
    Strength

    Turkey 4,000–8,000 troops[47][48][49]

    Unit Strengths
    Syrian opposition: 10,000–12,000 fighters[52][50][53][54]    		 5,000–7,000+ militants[49][55][56][57] Unknown
    Casualties and losses

    Turkey 71 killed[58]

    Syrian opposition 614 killed[59][60]    		 2,647 killed, 417 captured (per Turkey)[61]

    131+ killed (per SOHR and SDF)[62]

    425 killed, 37 captured (per Turkey)[61]
    30+ killed, 22 captured[63][64][65]
    540+ civilians killed (per SOHR)[66][67]

    Operation Euphrates Shield (Turkish: Fırat Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces in the Syrian Civil War which led to the Turkish occupation of northern Syria. Operations were carried out in the region between the Euphrates river to the east and the rebel-held area around Azaz to the west. The Turkish military and Turkey-aligned Syrian rebel groups, some of which used the Free Syrian Army label, fought against the forces of the Islamic State (IS) as well as against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from 24 August 2016. On 29 March 2017, the Turkish military officially announced that Operation Euphrates Shield was "successfully completed".[13]

    The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on the first day of the operation that it was aimed against both the IS and Syrian Kurdish "terror groups that threaten our country in northern Syria".[68] The objective to capture Manbij, under the de facto control of the AANES administration, that had been promulgated by the Turkish president at the end of February 2017[69] remained unfulfilled.

    1. ^ "Operation 'Euphrates Shield' ends ISIL rule in Jarablus". Al Jazeera. 25 August 2016.
    2. ^ Leith Fadel (24 August 2016). "US to provide air cover for Turkish, Syrian forces in Jarabulus". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 15 August 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
    3. ^ Cite error: The named reference USAwarns was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
    4. ^ [1] U.S. halts military support for Turkey's fight in key Islamic State town
    5. ^ [2] Russian jets strike Daesh targets in Syria's al-Bab for first time
    6. ^ [3] Turkish military says Russian aircraft carried out air strikes in Syria's al-Bab area
    7. ^ [4] Turkey, Russia continue joint airstrikes against ISIL near al-Bab
    8. ^ "RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2017". GOV.UK.
    9. ^ "British jets strike ISIL in northern Syria in coordination with Turkey: Turkish military". 19 January 2017.
    10. ^ "YPG: We will not withdraw from west of the Euphrates". Rudaw. 24 August 2016.
    11. ^ "British YPG fighters 'head to Manbij to face Turkish forces'". Middle East Eye. 2 September 2016.
    12. ^ a b "US backing ensures Arab-Kurd alliance in Syria will survive". Al-Monitor. 9 September 2016. Archived from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
    13. ^ a b "Turkey's Euphrates Shield Operation in Syria 'successfully completed'". Hürriyet Daily News. 29 March 2017.
    14. ^ "Turkey ends 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Syria". 29 March 2017.
    15. ^ Izat Charkatli (26 August 2016). "YPG withdraws from Menbeij amid Turkish pressure". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
    16. ^ Paul Antonopoulos (28 August 2016). "Photos: FSA & Islamists near Jarabulus find YPG ID cards, weapons". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
    17. ^ "Çavuşoğlu:Rakka'yı Rakkalılara teslim edebiliriz". Al Jazeera Türk. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
    18. ^ "Fırat Kalkanı bölgesi, harekatın 2. yılında Suriye'nin 'yeni yüzü'". Anadolu Agency. 22 August 2019.
    19. ^ Tomson, Chris (19 November 2016). "ISIS retakes town near al-Bab during deadly ambush on Turkish-backed rebels". Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
    20. ^ "El Bab kontrol altına alınmıştır". Al Jazeera Türk. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
    21. ^ Cite error: The named reference Border was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
    22. ^ "TSK: 32 Köy Terörist Unsurlardan Temizlendi". Yeni Asır. 31 August 2016.
    23. ^ Antonopoulos, Paul (23 February 2017). "Reports: ISIS surrenders Al-Bab to Turkish-led forces". Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
    24. ^ Agencies, Daily Sabah with (7 March 2017). "Defence Minister Işık: Turkey will prevent unification of PYD cantons at all costs". Daily Sabah.
    25. ^ Andrew Illingworth (2 March 2017). "BREAKING: Kurdish-led SDF to handover huge section of territory to SAA". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
    26. ^ Adra, Zen (3 March 2017). "Kurdish forces to hand over villages in west Manbij to Syrian Army". Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
    27. ^ Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline of the ISIL fight Hürriyet Daily News, 24 August 2016.
    28. ^ Nick Tattersall; Humeyra Pamuk (26 August 2016). "Turkey signals no quick end to Syria incursion as truck bomb kills police". Reuters.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
    29. ^ "Korgeneral İsmail Metin Temel Cerablus'ta". Hürriyet Daily News. 26 August 2016.
    30. ^ "Turkish Forces and Rebels Storm into Syria, Taking IS Stronghold of Jarablus". VOA. 24 August 2016.
    31. ^ "SULTAN MURAT TÜMENİ KOMUTANI FEHİM İSA TATHAMUS TÜRKMEN KÖYÜNÜN DEAŞ TERÖR ÖRGÜTÜNDEN TEMİZLENDİĞİNİ AÇIKLADI". 24 August 2016.
    32. ^ "Hamza Brigade's Leader: Few Hours Later We Will Raise The Victory Signs In Bab City (Video)". Qasioun News. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
    33. ^ a b [5] Türkmen Tugayı, Türkmenlere Fırat Kalkanı'na katılın çağrısında bulundu
    34. ^ a b Albin Szakola (25 August 2016). "Turkey-backed rebels aim for key ISIS-held town". NOW. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
    35. ^ a b "Turkish-backed FSA rebels set their sights on last IS Aleppo stronghold after border victory". Syria:direct. 5 September 2016.
    36. ^ a b "ÖSO komutanlarından Türkiye'ye teşekkür". 25 August 2016.
    37. ^ "41K Turkish soldiers ready to support operation Al Bab". Yeni Şafak. 22 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
    38. ^ [6] Hundreds of police trained by Turkey start work in northern Syria
    39. ^ "Sultan Murat Tugayları: Önce Çobanbey ardından Menbiç'e ilerleyeceğiz". 25 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
    40. ^ "TÜRKMEN KOMUTANIMIZ ALİ SALİH ŞEHİT DÜŞTÜ". 4 October 2016. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
    41. ^ "(PLA) chooses a new leader created for Gabi". All4Syria. 11 November 2016.
    42. ^ [7] El Bab'da son dakika: DEAŞ'ın sözde emiri Ebu Ensari öldürüldü
    43. ^ [8] ISIS Leader Dead? Islamic State Emirs Killed By Turkish Warplanes in Syria
    44. ^ [9] Turkey 'neutralizes' ISIL's political leader in al-Bab
    45. ^ "Kurdish-backed council says Turkey's intervention to make Syrian town "grave for Erdoğan troops"". ARA News. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016.
    46. ^ "Turkey calls on US, allies to reconsider Syria no-fly zone". Associated Press. 21 November 2016.
    47. ^ "Asker sayısı 8.000'e çıkacak". Yeni Şafak. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
    48. ^ "US Assistant Secretary of Defense tells Turkey only ISIS is a target, not Kurds – ARA News". 16 January 2017. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
    49. ^ a b "Turkey bogged down in Syria as it realigns with Russia". AP News. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
    50. ^ a b "AS IT HAPPENED: Turkish military, coalition forces launch 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Jarablus". Hürriyet Daily News. 24 August 2016.
    51. ^ Leith Fadel (24 August 2016). "[Breaking] Turkish tanks enter northern Aleppo". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
    52. ^ "What we know about 'army unit' Turkey is setting up in northern Syria?". 26 May 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
    53. ^ "Mehmetçiğin Silah Arkadaşları! – TÜRKMEN AJANS". Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
    54. ^ Luck, Taylor (14 December 2016). "Fall of Aleppo could tip Syria from civil war to insurgency". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
    55. ^ "MINA Breaking News – Syrian Army surrounds 5,000 ISIS fighters in Al Bab". Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
    56. ^ "Isis is preparing for an 'apocalyptic' battle to defend the village at the heart of its propaganda". Independent.co.uk. 3 October 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
    57. ^ "More than 1000 fighters of Jaysh al-Osra reach Dabiq; sheikhs at mosques declare "Dabiq epic is approaching"". 14 October 2016.
    58. ^ "Fırat Kalkanı Operasyonu sona erdi". Sözcü Gazetesi. 30 March 2017.
    59. ^ "Erdogan says 3,747 terrorists 'neutralized' in Afrin op". Anadolu Agency. 25 March 2018.
    60. ^ "What kind of success did Turkey achieve in Syria?". Hürriyet Daily News. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
    61. ^ a b "FIRAT KALKANI HAREKATI'NDA 3522 TERÖRİST ETKİSİZ HALE GETİRİLDİ" [3522 terrorists have been neutralized in Euphrates Shield] (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
    62. ^ 4 killed (28 August),[10] 6 killed (7 September),[11] 22 killed (20–23 October),[12] 6 killed (25 October),[13] Archived 28 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine 9 killed (27 October),[14] Archived 16 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 3 killed (8 November),[15] Archived 13 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (10 November),[16] Archived 17 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (11 November),[17] Archived 26 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 6 killed (12–19 November),[18] Archived 23 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (20 November),[19] Archived 21 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 8 killed (21 November),[20] Archived 21 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (22 November),[21] Archived 24 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 6 killed (23 November),[22] 7 killed (27 November),[23] Archived 29 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 4 killed (29 November),[24] Archived 30 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (1 December),[25] Archived 4 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine 3 killed (2 December),[26] Archived 2 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (7 December),[27] Archived 20 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (9 December),[28] Archived 20 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (14 December),[29] Archived 20 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (10 February),[30] Archived 11 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (11 February),[31] 1 killed (16 February),[32] Archived 18 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (19 February), [33] Archived 21 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine 3 killed (21 February), [34] Archived 22 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine 4 killed (1 March), [35] Archived 3 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 5 killed (3 March), [36] Archived 4 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 5 killed (9 March), [37] Archived 12 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 3 killed (11 March), [38] Archived 12 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (14 March), [39] Archived 15 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (16 March), [40] Archived 17 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 1 killed (18 March), [41] Archived 20 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine 2 killed (23 March), [42] Archived 24 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine total of 131+ reported killed
    63. ^ Tomson, Chris (27 February 2017). "Syrian Army neutralizes Turkish-backed troops near Al-Bab". Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
    64. ^ Fadel, Leith (9 March 2017). "Breaking: Turkish forces attack Syrian Army units west of Menbeij, 8 killed". Archived from the original on 4 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
    65. ^ Tomson, Chris (9 March 2017). "Syrian Army, Kurdish forces team up against Turkish troops in Aleppo province". Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
    66. ^ "Nearly 100 civilians dead in Turkey-backed Syria op: monitor". 24 October 2016.
    67. ^ Loveluck, Louisa; Sly, Liz (23 February 2017). "Turkey-backed rebels seize Islamic State's al-Bab stronghold in Syria" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
    68. ^ Erdogan says Syria operation aimed at IS jihadists, Kurdish PYD 24 August 2016.
    69. ^ Cite error: The named reference reutnext was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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