Operation Spring Shield
Operation Spring Shield (Turkish: Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias. The operation was launched on 27 February 2020 in direct response to the Balyun airstrikes, aiming to address the escalating situation in the region.
| Operation Spring Shield | |||||||||
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| Part of the 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive and Turkish military operations in Idlib as part of Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war | |||||||||
The situation after the ceasefire. | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Turkey |
Syria Iran Hezbollah Supported by: Russia | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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| Units involved | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 8,350–20,000 | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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Per Turkey: Materiel: |
Per SOHR: Materiel: | ||||||||
According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the primary objective of Operation Spring Shield was to achieve a ceasefire agreement within the framework of the Astana talks and to establish stability in the Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone. Additionally, the operation sought to prevent the mass migration of people from Idlib to the Turkish border, a pressing humanitarian concern.
On 5 March, Turkey and Russia signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow, marking a step towards de-escalation in the region.