Military conflict in Lebanon from 2014–2017 during the Syrian Civil War
See also: Refugees of the Syrian Civil War in Lebanon
Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon
Part of the Arab Winter, the Spillover of the Syrian Civil War and the Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Lebanese army's 4th Intervention Regiment personnel on Syria Street, guarding the road between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen in 2011
Date
17 June 2011 – 28 August 2017 (6 years, 2 months, 1 week and 4 days)
Location
Lebanon (Akkar, Arsal, Beirut, Qaa, Ras Baalbek, Sidon, and Tripoli)
Result
Lebanese government and pro-Syrian government victory
Territorial changes
The Lebanese Army and Hezbollah expelled IS militants as well as fighters of Al-Qaeda and its allies from Lebanon entirely in 2017 and reestablished control across all Lebanese territory.[50][52]
Main belligerents
Lebanon
Lebanese Armed Forces
Internal Security Forces
Support:
Australia[1]
Canada[2]
China[3]
Cyprus[4]
Czech Republic[5]
Egypt[6]
France[7]
Germany[8]
Iran[9]
Italy[10]
Jordan[11]
Netherlands[12]
Russia[13]
Saudi Arabia[7]
South Korea[14]
Spain[15]
Turkey[16]
United Kingdom[17][18]
United States[7]
Pro-Syrian government militias:
Hezbollah
Lebanese Resistance Brigades[19]
PFLP-GC[20]
Amal Movement[21]
Syrian Social Nationalist Party[22]
DFLP[23]
Popular Nasserist Organization[24]
As-Sa'iqa[25]
Fatah al-Intifada[26]
Arab Democratic Party (until 2014)[27]
Armenian Revolutionary Federation[28]
Arab Movement Party[29]
Support:
Syria[30]
Iran[31]
Russia[32]
Other militias:
Lebanese Communist Party[33]
Fatah[34][35]
Anti-Syrian government militias:
Free Syrian Army[36]
Saraya Ahl al-Sham [37]
Jaysh al-Islam[38]
Future Movement[19]
Islamic Front (until 2015)[39]
Support:
Saudi Arabia[40]
Al-Qaeda and allies:
Al-Nusra Front[a][41]
Fatah al-Islam[42]
Ghuraba al-Sham (until 2013)
Jund al-Sham[43]
Tahrir al-Sham[44]
Abdullah Azzam Brigades[45][46]
Osbat al-Ansar[47]
Sunni Resistance Committees[48]
Muslim Youth[49]
Islamic State[50] (from 2013)
Military of ISIL
Free Sunnis of Baalbek Brigade[51]
Commanders and leaders
Michel Aoun (2016–2017)
Saad Hariri (2016–2017)
Roger Salem (2011–2017)
Joseph Aoun (2017)
Michel Suleiman (2011–2014)
Najib Mikati (2011–2014)
Jean Kahwaji (2011–2017)
Tammam Salam (2014–2016)
Ashraf Rifi (2014–2016)
Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan al-Laqqis †
Assaad Hardan
Rifa'at Eid (ADP)
Fuad Othman
Osama Saad
Shaker Berjawi
Khaled Hadadi
Fathi Zeidan †
Talal al-Ourdouni †
Abdullah Hussein al-Rifai †
Abu Malek al-Tali
Ahmed Al-Assir
Abu Tarek al-Saadi
Islam al-Shahal
Bilal Badr[53]
Majed al-Majed †
Ziad Alloukeh (POW)
Naim Abbas (POW)[46]
Abu Firas al-Jibba †
Jamal Husayn Zayniyah (Al-Nusra Front operations commander in the Qalamoun)[54]
Ahmad Mohammad Ammoun (POW)[55]
Abu Fouz †[56]
Imad Yassin (POW)[57]
Ahmad Youssef Ammoun (POW)[58]
Strength
12,000 soldiers mobilized[59]
1,500–4,000+ fighters[60][61]
7,000 fighters[62]
Casualties and losses
61 soldiers killed (See here.)
In clashes with Lebanese Army: 500+ killed 700+ captured (Lebanese Army claim)[62] In clashes with Hezbollah: Unknown
~350 civilians killed[63]
a The al-Nusra Front closely cooperated with ISIL between 2013 and 2014, were considered "frenemies" in 2015,[64] and became embroiled in open conflict with it in 2017.[citation needed]
v
t
e
Syrian civil war
Timeline
January–April 2011
May–August 2011
September–December 2011
January–April 2012
May–August 2012
September–December 2012
January–April 2013
May–December 2013
January–July 2014
August–December 2014
January–July 2015
August–December 2015
January–April 2016
May–August 2016
September–December 2016
January–April 2017
May–August 2017
September–December 2017
January–April 2018
May–August 2018
September–December 2018
January–April 2019
May–August 2019
September–December 2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Background and causes
Casualties
Cities
map
Terrorism
Massacres
v
t
e
Civil uprising in Syria (March–August 2011)
Daraa
Baniyas
Homs (May–August 2011)
Talkalakh
Rastan and Talbiseh
1st Jisr ash-Shughur
1st Jabal al-Zawiya
Hama
Latakia
v
t
e
Start of insurgency (Sept. 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.
Shayrat & Tiyas ambush
Daraa Gov.
1st Rif Dimashq
1st Zabadani
Douma
Deir ez-Zor (2011–2014)
Hatla
Aleppo Gov.
Azaz
2nd Rastan
1st al-Qusayr
2nd Idlib Gov.
Taftanaz
v
t
e
UN ceasefire; Rebel advances (May 2012 – Dec. 2013)
Foreign intervention on behalf of Syrian Arab Republic
Russian involvement
2015 military intervention
Iranian intervention
2017 missile strike
Iran–Israel conflict
2012 Hezbollah involvement
Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian rebels
Foreign rebel fighters
Turkish involvement
Turkey–Islamic State conflict
Tomb of Suleyman Shah relocation
Euphrates Shield
2017 airstrikes
Idlib Governorate operation
Afrin operation
2019 Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria
Israel's role
U.S.-led intervention against ISIL
U.S.-led Intervention
Timeline
List of attacks
2014 rescue operation
May 2015 raid
2017 missile strikes
Qatari involvement
Jordanian intervention
Operation Martyr Muath
Lebanon's role
Saudi involvement
April 2018 missile strikes
Dutch involvement
German intervention
French intervention
Australian intervention
UK intervention
v
t
e
Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon
Battles and operations
Border clashes (2012-17)
Bab al-Tabbaneh–Jabal Mohsen
1st Beirut
2nd Beirut
3rd Beirut
1st Tripoli
Iranian embassy
Sidon
1st Qalamoun (1st Arsal)
North Lebanon clashes
4th Beirut
2nd Tripoli
5th Beirut
2nd Qalamoun
Qaa attacks
3rd Qalamoun
v
t
e
Civil conflicts in Lebanon
1958 crisis
1961 coup d'état attempt
Civil war
Bab al-Tabbaneh–Jabal Mohsen
Dinnieh clashes
Cedar Revolution
2007 conflict
2008 conflict
Syrian civil war spillover
17 October Revolution
2021 Beirut clashes
2023 Ain al-Hilweh clashes
v
t
e
Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict
Qatif conflict
Iran–Iraq War
Syrian civil war
Syrian civil war spillover in Lebanon
2011 assassination plot
Yemeni civil war (2014–present)
Arab separatism in Khuzestan
Between 2011 and 2017, fighting from the Syrian civil war spilled over into Lebanon as opponents and supporters of the Syrian Arab Republic traveled to Lebanon to fight and attack each other on Lebanese soil. The Syrian conflict stoked a resurgence of sectarian violence in Lebanon,[65] with many of Lebanon's Sunni Muslims supporting the rebels in Syria, while many of Lebanon's Shi'a Muslims supporting the Ba'athist government of Bashar Al-Assad, whose Alawite minority is usually described as a heterodox offshoot of Shi'ism.[66] Killings, unrest and sectarian kidnappings across Lebanon resulted.[67]
The conflict arose in mid-2011, seven people were killed and 59 wounded in a fight between gunmen in Tripoli. In May 2012, the conflict spread to Beirut, and later to south and east Lebanon, while the Lebanese Armed Forces deployed in north Lebanon and Beirut. As of January 2016, there had been more than 800 fatalities and almost 3,000 injuries. Among Lebanon's political blocs, the Saudi-backed anti-Syrian March 14 Alliance supports the Syrian opposition, and the Iranian-backed pro-Syrian March 8 Alliance supports the Assad government. On 28 August 2017, the last remaining fighters of IS and Tahrir al-Sham withdrew from Lebanon.
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