ORDER OF BATTLE // November 30, 2015
Al-Hawl Offensive
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 3,700 estimated
Syrian Democratic Forces
2,700
Medium-confidence figure
Islamic State
1,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
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.
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