The Battle of Harasta, codenamed "They Were Wronged", was a military operation launched by Syrian rebels against positions of the Syrian Arab Army in Harasta, a northeastern suburb of Damascus, during the Syrian Civil War

Background Harasta, in the eastern Ghouta area, had been a rebel-held city for parts of the Syrian Civil War, despite its close proximity to the government-held capital. After the government's victory in Eastern Aleppo in late 2016, government forces turned their attention to the Damascus suburbs, targeting Wadi Barada, and eastern Ghouta (see Qaboun offensive (2017)).Hiba Dlewati "Years-Long Truces End As Government Tightens Control on Damascus " Syria Deeply, 18 May 2017 During the East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2017), rebel groups Tahrir al-Sham, Ahrar Al-Sham, Jaysh al-Islam and Free Syrian Army-affiliated al-Rahman Legion vied for control of the area. This fighting came to an end in late spring.

On 22 July 2017, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that a de-escalation agreement had been signed in Eastern Ghouta following talks between Russian military officials and Jaysh al Islam.No less than 534 Barrel Bombs in October 2017, Syrian Network for Human Rights, 9 November 2017 On 16 August 2017, a Failaq al Rahman representative and a Russian representative signed an agreement which established Failaq al Rahman's inclusion in the de-escalation zone. This agreement came into effect on 18 August 2017.

Despite the de-escalation treaty, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that government bombing resumed in Eastern Ghouta on 27 September 2017.More casualties raised the death toll to 4 persons after the first bombing on the Eastern Ghouta after the cease-fire that lasted for two months, SOHR, 27 September 2017 In October, the government restricted the use of the al-Wafideen crossing, an entry point for merchandise, which led to food and medical supply shortages within Ghouta.Human Rights Watch Syria/Russia: Airstrikes, Siege Killing Civilians, ReliefWeb, 22 December 2017 According to the UN and Human Rights Watch, in late October and November 2017, hostilities intensified, with frequent reports of shelling on several densely populated areas of eastern Ghouta. These attacks reportedly targeted Harasta (including one reported strike on a kindergarten on 6 NovemberEight children dead, scores injured after mortar shell strikes East Ghouta kindergarten, SyriaDirect, 6 November 2017), as well as Ein Tarma, Jobar, Kafr Batna, and Jisreen (where a mortar attack on 31 October killed six children, according to Human Rights Watch).Syria: Factsheet - East Ghouta (8 December 2017), REPORT from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Published on 8 December 2017Syria/Russia: Airstrikes, Siege Killing Civilians, HRW, 22 December 2017AP, Syrian activists say four children were killed in government shelling, Los Angeles Times, 31 October 2017 Further attacks targeted Mesraba, Hamouriyah and Saqba.Human Rights Watch Syria: Children Under Attack in Damascus Enclave, ReliefWeb, 11 January 2018

The offensive First phase On 14 November, a rebel attack was launched on the government armoured-vehicle base in Harasta.AFP, Syria: at least 14 civilians killed in air strikes by government forces, Guardian, 18 November 2017 The rebel forces, led by Ahrar al-Sham, also launched an assault against Syrian Army positions in the Police Housing area of the Harasta suburb. Shortly after, the rebels captured an army outpost and killed Major General Walhid Khawashqi. Two points within the perimeter of the base were captured by the militants on the morning of 15 November. According to pro-government sources, the points were recaptured by the army in the evening amid airstrikes on rebel positions conducted by the Russian Air Force. The rebel attack was considered by the Syrian government to be a violation of the Russian-brokered de-escalation zones put in place in May. In retaliatory attacks, aerial strikes and shelling hit Harasta, Irbin, Mesraba, Hamouriyah, and Saqba towns in Eastern Ghouta with at least eight civilians killed and about 94 wounded in the first 20 hours.

On 16 November, Ahrar al-Sham reportedly captured a command post near the Regiment 46 base. In retaliation for the Ahrar al-Sham attack, the government conducted an aerial bombardment of rebel-held areas, according to an Agence France-Presse photographer and opposition sources. The World Health Organization reported that from 14 to 17 November, 84 people were killed and 659 injured, including hundreds of women and children. Human Rights Watch documented that Hamouriyah, a densely populated residential town near the center of the besieged enclave controlled by Faylaq al-Rahman, was repeatedly struck by Russian or Syrian cluster munitions on 19 November, and multiple airstrikes hit Irbin on 23 November.

On 25 November, all of the areas captured by the rebels in Harasta were reported by pro-government sources to have been retaken by government forces, but the rebels said they repelled the army's attack on their positions inside the base. Government aircraft were reported to have bombed a crowded public market in Misraba, to the east, as part of its counterattack on rebel positions, killing at least 16 civilians.Warplanes bomb crowded market in besieged Damascus suburbs, killing at least 16, SyriaDirect, 26 November 2017 From 14 to 30 November, the Russian-Syrian joint military operation conducted over 400 airstrikes on eastern Ghouta, according to Civil Defense, and SOHR reported that at least 127 people, including 30 children, had been killed by air strikes and shelling in the offensive by the end of the month.Syrian government push for Damascus rebel enclave kills at least 23, Reuters, 26 November 2017

Harasta and other rebel-held parts of the eastern Ghouta were considered to be suffering from a humanitarian crisis due to the government siege. Residents were "so short of food that they [were] eating trash, fainting from hunger and forcing their children to eat on alternate days", the U.N. World Food Programme said. On 6 December, the World Health Organization reported nearly 500 sick and wounded patients still await medical evacuation from eastern Ghouta, which the Syrian government had not granted.WHO says 480 need to be evacuated from Damascus suburb with worst malnutrition, Reuters, 6 December 2017 Several Syrian and Russian airstrikes on densely populated areas were reported in this period in connection with the Harasta fighting, including one on Harasta on 3 December in which children were reportedly killedReuters, Children Among dead as air strikes pound Damascus, 3 December 2017 and two, on a marketplace and a medical facility, leading to 18 civilian deaths, in nearby Hamouriyah the same day.Syrian, Russian jets bomb residential areas in eastern Ghouta: witnesses, monitor, Reuters, 4 December 2017

Second phase

On 29 December 2017, rebels commenced the second phase of the offensive.Exposure of Six Civilians to Poisonous Substances in Eastern Ghouta- Damascus Countryside , Syrians for Truth & Justice, 21 January 2018 Pro-government sources reported that HTS used a car bomb on army positions in Harasta early in the day. Later in the day, Ahrar al-Sham, HTS and Al-Rahman Legion seized over 50 buildings to the west of the base and besieged it, cutting off all supply lines. The rebels also said they took more positions in the Vehicle Base itself. 47 SAA and NDF soldiers were killed in the ongoing offensive, while pro-government reinforcements were being sent to the frontline. On 30 December, a paramedic working for a hospital in Harasta was killed as a result of artillery shelling, according to aid organisations.Hospitals Attacked During Holiday Season, 11 Attacks in Wave Of Violence, ReliefWeb 3 January 2018Syria war: Hospitals being targeted, aid workers say, BBC, 6 January 2018 The UN reported that the Syrian government and Russia began a new air and land offensive on 31 December to reclaim ground in eastern Ghouta.Syria and Russia's latest offensive has killed 177 civilians in 2 weeks, Business Insider, 14 January 2018 That day, a primary health care center in Harasta was impacted by an airstrike, resulting in minor structural damage, according to aid organisations.

The defensive

On 1 January, fighting raged around the municipal building for hours after rebels reportedly detonated a second car bomb. By the end of the day, the Syrian Army said it had recaptured the Harasta bus station and pushed rebel forces back from the municipal building, while reportedly killing "tens" of rebels.State media says Syrian president reshuffles government, AP, 1 January 2018 Meanwhile, Ahrar al-Sham said it was negotiating a passage out for government forces trapped at the Vehicle Base. According to opposition sources, at least 34 rebels were killed and dozens wounded from both sides since the beginning of the second phase. Pro-government and Russian bombings killed at least 36 civilians and wounded many more in rebel-controlled Harasta as well. On 2 January, the Syrian Army reportedly recaptured four blocks near the municipal building and were pushing towards the Al-Barazi hospital. Meanwhile, rebels were still trying to capture the Vehicle Base and municipal building, despite heavy artillery and airstrikes, managing to widen their control of the army base.Syrian army preparing an assault to end rebel siege of base east of capital, Reuters, 3 January 2018

On 3 January, the Syrian Army and Russian Air Force escalated bombing of rebel-held areas with the intention of relieving the 200 troops trapped in the base.Zeina Khodr Government air raids intensify in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, Al-Jazeera, 3 January 2018 Strikes on Mesraba and Arbin on 4 January reportedly caused dozens of deaths, including civilians and children.Syria war: 'Russian strikes' kill 25 in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, BBC, 4 January 2018Syrian civil war: Russian jets suspected of killing at least 30 people after bombing residential buildings near Damascus, Independent, 4 January 2018 On 4 January, the Syrian Army began their counter-offensive to relieve the siege on the Armoured Vehicle Base. Government forces recaptured "dozens of buildings" and the Syrian Army advanced to within of the Vehicle Base. During the fighting, an air-strike hit a building near the rebel positions, leaving 16 rebel fighters dead. On 5 January, the Syrian army reportedly recaptured the Basher Hospital from the rebels as part of a renewed push in Harasta district and were within of the military vehicle depot base from the western direction. Further pro-government airstrikes on residential areas of Harasta were reported on 6 January.Watch: Workers rescue Syrians after airstrikes hit near Damascus, Washington Post, 6 January