Palmyra offensive (May 2015)
The Palmyra offensive of May 2015 was a military operation launched during the Syrian Civil War by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on May 13–26, 2015, in an attempt to capture the government-held Tadmur District of the Homs Governorate, including the administrative centre of Tadmur, known in English as Palmyra. The ruins and ancient monuments of Palmyra, which lie on the south-western fringe of the modern city, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. The ruins were part of a desert oasis that was one of the most significant cultural centers of the ancient world, linking the civilizations of Persia, India, China with the Roman Empire through trade. The offensive was one of the largest offensives launched by ISIL, the largest one conducted by ISIL in Syria since the 2014 Eastern Syria offensive, with the result of the offensive increasing ISIL's control of Syria to at least 50%.
| Palmyra offensive (May 2015) | |||||||||
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| Part of the Syrian Civil War | |||||||||
Map of the territorial gains made by ISIL from 13–26 May, during the Palmyra offensive | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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Abu Malik Anas Al-Nashwan † |
Talal al-Barazi Brig. Gen. Malek Taleb Baddour † | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
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National Defence Forces (NDF) Ba'ath Brigades | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 1,800–2,000+ (Palmyra city) | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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241–300 killed (SOHR claim) 170–200 killed (Syrian Army claim) |
150 killed (SOHR claim) 81 killed (Syrian Army claim) | ||||||||
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71 civilians killed (49 executed by ISIL; 14–15 May) 168–280 civilians and soldiers executed, and 600 detained (21–24 May) | |||||||||