Battle of Rastan (2011)

First Battle of Rastan
Part of the early insurgency phase of the Syrian civil war
Date27 September – 1 October 2011
(4 days)
Location
Rastan, Homs Governorate, Syria
34°54′55″N 36°44′08″E / 34.91525°N 36.735485°E / 34.91525; 36.735485
Result Syrian government victory
Territorial
changes
Syrian government forces regain control of Rastan
Belligerents
Syrian opposition Syrian Opposition Syria Syrian Government
Commanders and leaders
Syrian opposition Maj. Abdul Rahman Sheikh Ali [1]
Syrian opposition 1st Lt. Ahmad Mustafa al-Khalaf [2]
Syria Unknown
Units involved
Strength
Syrian opposition 1,000 rebels[5] 900 soldiers
250 tanks and armored vehicles
Casualties and losses
Syrian opposition 130 rebels and protesters killed[6]
Syrian opposition 3,000 opposition supporters arrested[7]
13 soldiers killed[8]
32 soldiers wounded[9]
*The number of dead on the rebel side includes both opposition fighters and civilian protesters
Battle of Rastan (2011) is located in Syria
Battle of Rastan (2011)
Location within Syria

A battle for control of Rastan, a city of 60,000 residents in Homs Governorate, Syria, occurred from 27 September to 1 October 2011. In late September, there were reports of numerous Syrian Army defections in the area, following which the Free Syrian Army took control of Rastan. After a four-day battle, the city was retaken by the Syrian Army.

Background

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On 28 May 2011, after major protests, the Syrian Army launched an operation in Rastan and the neighboring town of Talbiseh, which resulted in the suppression of anti-government protests and numerous deaths. The Syrian Army met some armed opposition during the operation,[10] but had gained control of the city by 4 June.

Battle

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In late September, there were reports of many Syrian Army defections in Rastan, and the Free Syrian Army claimed to have destroyed 17 armoured vehicles during clashes in the city,[11] using RPGs and booby traps.[12][13] The assault was also, the opposition claimed, supported by Syrian Air Force jets.[3]

By 1 October, government forces had launched a major offensive to reassert control over Rastan. According to opposition activists, these operations resulted in the deaths of approximately 120 individuals, including both civilians and opposition fighters. In a sweeping crackdown, the regime also arrested an estimated 3,000 suspected opposition members.[7][14][15]

The retaking of the city was realized through a coordinated effort involving some 900 loyalist soldiers in conjunction with an armoured contingent of around 250 tanks and other military vehicles .During the operation, government troops reportedly confronted hundreds of defected soldiers; fellow soldiers who had turned against President Bashar al‑Assad. These encounters occurred even as large demonstrations reportedly filled the streets on a Friday during the offensive.[15][16]

The scenes were described with tanks entering Rastan to fight troops who turned against President Bashar al‑Assad; amid a backdrop of widespread protests.[13][15][17]

Aftermath

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Insurgent activity continued in the area for months after the major clashes ended. On 24 November, the military conducted an operation in Rastan, during which they killed 16 gunmen and captured a large cache of weapons.[18]

On 1 February 2012, the FSA and Syrian opposition activists reported that the FSA had gained full control of Rastan after four days of intense clashes.[19][20] Photos were posted on the internet showing FSA fighters in the streets of Rastan, standing guard.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Martyr Abdul Rahman Sheikh Ali". Symbols of the Syrian Revolution. 3 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Ahmad Mustafa al-Khalaf". Violations Documentation Center in Syria. 28 September 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Syrian forces pound western city in battle against defectors". CNN. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  4. ^ "The view from Damascus: Assad regime is 'weak' and 'robbing banks' to finance repression". News – Telegraph Blogs. Archived from the original on January 29, 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Syrian tanks pound anti-Assad fighters for 2nd day". Reuters. Archived from the original on 17 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Pro-Assad forces regain rebel Syrian town: agency". Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Syrian troops arrest 3,000 people in Rastan". Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  8. ^ 13 killed (27 September–1 October),[1][2], total of 13 reported killed Archived October 17, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Fri, 30 Sep 2011, 09:37 GMT+3 – Syria". Al Jazeera Blogs. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  10. ^ ""We Live as in War" – Human Rights Watch". Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Syrian defectors battle Assad's army". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Thousands of troops desert from Syrian army". Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  13. ^ a b Radin, CJ (2011-09-30). "Syrian uprising: the 'Free Syrian Army' enters the picture". FDD's Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 2025-06-13. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  14. ^ "Pro-Assad forces regain rebel Syrian town: agency". Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  15. ^ a b c "Syrian army battles defectors in rebel town as 11 more protesters killed". The Guardian. Associated Press. 2011-10-02. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  16. ^ "Syrian tanks pound anti-Assad fighters for 2nd day". Reuters. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  17. ^ "Tanks surround restive town after mass defections". France 24. 2011-08-29. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  18. ^ "Some 20 killed in 24 hours across Syria: report". Archived from the original on November 30, 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  19. ^ "Syrian troops push towards Damascus". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  20. ^ Syrian troops push further into Damascus suburbs as defectors take control of central town Archived January 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Syrian death toll from Monday at 100 as rebels take central town of Rastan". GlobalPost. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
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