The Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017 – February 2018) was a large-scale military operation that initially started with an offensive conducted by ISIL forces on areas controlled by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the northern Hama Governorate. Subsequently, the Syrian Armed Forces launched their own offensive against HTS and other rebel groups in the area. The campaign took place at the intersection of the provinces of Hama, Idlib and Aleppo.
The offensive
ISIL and Army advances
On 9 October 2017, ISIL attacked HTS in the northeastern Hama countryside near the southern administrative border of the Idlib Governorate. ISIL members that attacked HTS allegedly sneaked into northern Hama from the area east of Salamiyah where they had been besieged by the Syrian Army. An opposition activist accused Syrian government forces of opening a 13-kilometer gap for ISIL militants to enter HTS territory. ISIL captured more than a dozen villages, including Rahjan, before HTS launched a counter-attack and recaptured five villages. Over the next two weeks, fighting continued, with HTS managing to recapture 11 more villages, including Rahjan.
Starting on 22 October, government forces conducted heavy air-strikes against HTS positions in the area and on 24 October, a ground assault was launched from the direction of Ithriya. The Syrian Army took advantage of the fighting between HTS and ISIL, quickly seizing several areas from the latter. The ultimate aim of the government offensive was reported to be either the rebel-held Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in the eastern part of the Idlib Governorate or to simply push out HTS from that part of Hama's countryside into Idlib. The same day as the Army's ground offensive started, an ISIL infiltration attempt against HTS lines was repelled. As the Army offensive was developing, clashes continued between HTS and ISIL, while it was reported that fighting between the Army and ISIL had stopped as of 26 October. By 28 October, more than 350 air-strikes had been conducted and the military managed to capture between six and ten villages from both HTS and ISIL, with ISIL confined to just five villages. During the night between 27 and 28 October, elements of the 3rd and 4th Division of the Syrian Army were approaching to Rahjan.
On 30 October, heavy fighting was taking place as both the Syrian Army and ISIL were attempting to make advances against HTS, while HTS was attempting to advance against the other two. Between 31 October and 1 November, the Army seized between five and seven villages from HTS. Meanwhile, HTS reportedly seized two villages from ISIL, forcing ISIL to retreat to its three remaining villages in the area.
On 2 November, the Army launched an assault on a different axis, attacking and capturing four villages, including the rebel stronghold of Al-Rashadiyah, in the southern countryside of Aleppo. However, the following day, HTS counter-attacked and recaptured the territory they had lost, including Al-Rashadiyah.
On 3 November, the Republican Guard and Qalamoun Shield stormed the HTS-held village of Al-Shakusiyah, eventually capturing it after hours of fighting, although they suffered heavy casualties as HTS and the FSA's Central Division used anti-tank missiles and artillery fire. The capture of the village brought the Syrian Army to the eastern outskirts of Rahjan. Between 4 and 7 November, government forces reportedly captured five more villages. On 8 November, HTS captured a hill overlooking the remaining three villages held by ISIL.
On 13 November, government forces opened a new axis of advance and captured nine villages over the next two days. Meanwhile, between 14 and 16 November, the village of Sarha changed hands three times before ultimately coming under Army control. The military also seized the nearby village of Qasr Ali.
On 21 November, under the cover of bad weather, ISIL forces attacked from their small pocket HTS positions and managed to capture four villages. Concurrently, an ISIL suicide car bomber also blew himself up in Rahjan. ISIL continued its advances the following day, capturing another nine villages. Meanwhile, the Army launched its finale phase of the offensive, advancing to positions just several hundred meters from Rahjan. At the same time, the military also attacked and captured a village and a nearby hilltop in the southern countryside of Aleppo. By this point, the military captured 29 villages in the Hama countryside during the offensive.