Battle of Markada

Start of insurgency (September 2011 – April 2012)

Homs (2011–14) Homs offensive 1st Idlib Gov. Syrian–Turkish border Jabal al-Zawiya 1st Idlib City Saraqeb 1st Rastan Hama Gov. Daraa Gov. Kernaz 1st Rif Dimashq 1st Zabadani Douma Deir ez-Zor (2011–2014) Hatla Aleppo Gov. Azaz 2nd Rastan 1st al-Qusayr 2nd Idlib Gov. Taftanaz

Cease-fire and civil war (May 2012 – December 2013)

Rise of the Islamists (January–September 2014)

Rebel–ISIL conflict Markada 1st Deir ez-Zor offensive al-Otaiba ambush Maan Hosn Morek 2nd Daraa offensive 2nd Latakia offensive 4th Idlib Gov. Al-Malihah 2nd Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Arsal 1st Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama offensive 6th Rif Dimashq Quneitra Kobanî

United States-led intervention (September 2014 – September 2015)

Russian intervention (September 2015 – March 2016)

Aleppo escalation and Turkish intervention (March 2016–present)

Syrian War spillover and international incidents

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Foreign involvement in the
Syrian Civil War

The Battle of Markada was a military confrontation between two jihadist groups, al Qaeda's al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), over the town of Markada in the Al-Hasakah Governorate, in March 2014 during the Syrian civil war.^[2] The strategic importance of the town to the ISIL lay in its position on the group's weapons supply route from Iraq, the road linking Al-Hasakah with Deir ez-Zor and a hill that dominates the surrounding area.^[3]

Battle

The battle started on 21 March 2014,^[2] with fighting near Markada's grain silos that left 27 Nusra fighters dead and others missing.^[4]

On the morning of 27 March, the ISIS attacked the town, which was being held by the Al-Nusra Front. The ISIS managed to force Nusra to withdraw to the town's hospital and the mountain overlooking Markada.^[5]

Before dawn on 29 March, clashes erupted in the town^[6] as the ISIS attacked the hospital and Nusra positions in the mountain.^[5] After heavy fighting that left 43 Nusra and 13 ISIS fighters dead,^[4] the ISIS took full control of the town,^[1] with Nusra forces retreating towards the town of al-Sour in the eastern rural area of Deir ez-Zor province. Many Nusra fighters were also captured.^[7] Among those killed was also the top provincial ISIS commander,^[1] Omar al-Farouk al-Turki.^[5]

On 31 March, Nusra launched a counter-attack in an attempt to recapture the town.^[4] By this time, the number of those killed since the start of the fighting had risen to 120.^[2]

References

1 2 3 4 "ISIS seizes town from Nusra in Hassakeh province". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
1 2 3 4 "Syrian army retakes key post in regime bastion Latakia". Your Middle East. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
↑ "At least 52 dead fighters from the front and the victory of the Islamic State". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
1 2 3 "Syria killed 30 Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant Brive-Hasakah". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
1 2 3 "Organization "Daash" controlled Mrkdh, and mourns his military commander in the Al-Hasakah". كلنا شركاء في الوطن. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
↑ "A bomb explosion in Deir al-Zour and clashes in Al-Hasakah". Retrieved 25 October 2014.
↑ "ISIS kills 35 fighters from Jabhat Al-Nusra and Islamic battalions". Retrieved 25 October 2014.

Coordinates: 35°44′00″N 40°46′00″E / 35.7333°N 40.7667°E / 35.7333; 40.7667

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