Qaboun offensive (2017)

The Qaboun offensive (2017) was a military operation launched by the Syrian Arab Army and allied forces in February 2017 against rebel-held districts of Qaboun and Barzeh, located on the northeastern edge of Damascus. The objective of the offensive was to recapture these areas and eliminate the rebel presence, thereby securing the capital city and its surrounding areas.

The offensive was characterized by intense fighting, heavy shelling, and airstrikes. The Syrian government forces utilized their superior firepower to gradually push rebel fighters back. The rebels, largely consisting of groups affiliated with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and other Islamist factions, mounted a fierce resistance, utilizing tunnels and urban warfare tactics.

A key aspect of the offensive was the siege imposed on the rebel-held areas, which resulted in severe shortages of food, medicine, and other essential supplies for the civilian population. Humanitarian organizations reported dire conditions within the besieged districts.

Following several months of intense fighting and negotiations, an agreement was reached in May 2017 for the evacuation of rebel fighters and their families from Qaboun and Barzeh to rebel-held territory in northern Syria, particularly Idlib province. This agreement effectively ended the rebel presence in these Damascus suburbs and brought the areas back under the control of the Syrian government.

The offensive resulted in significant destruction of infrastructure and displacement of civilians. It also highlighted the Syrian government's strategy of using military pressure and sieges to force rebel groups into surrender agreements, allowing the government to consolidate its control over key areas of the country. The Qaboun offensive (2017) was one of several such operations conducted around Damascus during the Syrian Civil War.