Al-Hawl Offensive

Overview

The 2015 al-Hawl offensive was an offensive launched by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) during the Syrian Civil War, in order to capture the strategic town of al-Hawl and the surrounding countryside from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The offensive consisted of separate operations in three different areas: Tell Brak, al-Hawl, and the southern al-Hasakah city countryside.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The al-Hawl offensive was a Syrian Democratic Forces operation targeting the town of al-Hawl and surrounding countryside held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The campaign was structured across three distinct operational areas — Tell Brak, al-Hawl, and the southern al-Hasakah city countryside — indicating an effort to clear a contiguous zone rather than a single point objective. With SDF forces numbering 2,700 against an estimated 1,000 ISIL defenders, and recorded ISIL casualties ranging from 112 to 493, the offensive inflicted measurable attrition on Islamic State forces in the region. The operation formed part of the broader SDF campaign to consolidate control over al-Hasakah Governorate during the Syrian Civil War, reducing ISIL's foothold in northeastern Syria.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (6)