2015 Southern Syria offensive

2015 Southern Syria offensive
Part of the Syrian Civil War

  Syrian Government control
  Opposition control
  Contested
Date7 February – 13 March 2015
(1 month and 6 days)
Location
Result

Phase one: Syrian Army and allies victory
Phase two: Stalemate

  • Government forces capture seven towns and villages and eight hills
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front
al-Nusra Front
Islamic Muthanna Movement
Jamaat Bayt al-Maqdis al-Islamiya
Commanders and leaders
Gen. Bashar al-Zoubi
(Southern Front leader)
Maj. Abu Osama al-Jolani
Col. Saber Safar
(leader of the First Army)
Mukhtar Abu Omar 
(top military leader of al-Nusra Front in Southern Syria)
Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani
Mustafa Badreddine
Maj. Gen. Suheil Salman Hassan
(5th Mechanized Division)
Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Mustafa 
Col. Abbas Abdollahi 
Ali Reza Tavassoli 
(Leader of Liwa Fatemiyoun)
Units involved
Strength
2,500

5,000

Casualties and losses
294 killed (Syrian Army claim)
300 killed and wounded (rebel claim)
63 killed (Syrian Army claim)
43 killed, 10–12 executed, 40 captured (SOHR claim)
400 killed and 1 captured (rebel claim)

The 2015 Southern Syria offensive, code-named "Operation Martyrs of Quneitra", was an offensive launched in southern Syria during the Syrian Civil War by the Syrian Arab Army, Hezbollah and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces. Government forces also include Iranian sponsored Afghani Shi'ite volunteer militias. The name "Operation Martyrs of Quneitra" refers to the January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident, in which several high level Hezbollah and IRGC members were killed in an Israeli strike.

After Syrian troops and their allies captured 15 towns, villages and hills, the operation slowed and stalled during attempts to advance on Kafr Shams and Kafr Nasij. The gains by pro-government troops were described as limited, while the pro-Damascus As-Safir reported the gains were a "devastating" defeat for the rebels. Most viewed the offensive as unsuccessful, with the rebels "weathering" the "collapsed" offensive.