Battle of Nasib Border Crossing

Battle of Nasib Border Crossing
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Map showing the rebel offensive to seize the Nasib Border Crossing
Date 1 April 2015 Location Nasib Border Crossing, Jordanian–Syrian border, Daraa Governorate, Syria Result Rebel victory[2] Territorial changes Rebels capture the Nasib border crossing[3] and the border area between Nasib and Amman[4]
Belligerents
Free Syrian Army al-Nusra Front[1]	Syrian Arab Republic Syrian Armed Forces National Defense Force
Commanders and leaders
Col. Mohammed Khaled al-Duhni[5] (Falcons of the South leader) Gen. Bashar al-Zoubi[2] (Yarmouk Army leader) Abu Hadi al-Aboud[6] (Faloujat Houran Brigade leader) Abu Salah al-Ansari[7] (Nusra Front Daraa commander)	Unknown
Units involved
Southern Front Falcons of the South[2][6][8]	Nasib border crossing garrison

The Battle of Nasib Border Crossing took place on 1 April 2015 during the Syrian Civil War that resulted in anti-government rebels capturing the Nasib Border Crossing, the last Syria government-held border crossing with Jordan.

The battle

On 1 April 2015, rebel forces launched an offensive against government positions in and around the semi-besieged Nasib Border Crossing, forcing the Army to retreat from its last official border crossing with Jordan.^[1][2] Rebels also captured the border guard posts "62", "63" and "67".^[3] At least one BMP-1 was captured by the rebels.^[9]

The military acknowledged losing the border crossing and the three posts, but stated that it was still in control of the "Amman brigade" 12.5 miles (20 km) east of Nasib.^[3] However, video footage showed that the base was also captured.^[4]

The Syrian government stated that any use of the rebel-held crossing "will be considered illegitimate". The border crossing was closed by Jordan authorities.^[3]

Aftermath

The next day, the Syrian Arab Air Force raided areas around the border crossing,^[3] killing eight people, including five rebels.^[10] The border crossing was looted by hundreds of rebels and civilians. The FSA accused al-Nusra Front of taking part in the looting and told them to leave.^[6] Furthermore, the Southern Front of the Free Syrian Army claimed al-Nusra participated only in the last stages of the fighting for the border crossing, not in the planning or initial attack.^[11] It also stated to have opened an investigation into the looting.^[12]

As of 3 April, the al-Nusra Front was in control of the crossing and deciding who can go through it.^[13] The al-Nusra Front held around ten Lebanese truck drivers, after their vehicles were stranded in 'no man's land'. According to the Lebanese Refrigerated Truck Union, between 30 and 35 Lebanese truck drivers were still stuck in the area. The SOHR stated that there were around 300 vehicles held up at the border crossing, while Seer al-Dinnieh Mayor Ahmad Alam confirmed that "many tons" of items were stolen during the looting.^[14]

On 4 April, the al-Nusra Front pulled back from the border crossing, leaving it to a civil administration. According to the SOHR, al-Nusra Front abducted at least 35 truck drivers from the border crossing.^[15] It was agreed in the 'courthouse of Horan' that all abducted truck drivers will be released within 24 hours that the border crossing must be managed by a civil administration.^[16] As of 6 April, two truck drivers were still being held captive.^[17] On 11 April, al-Nusra Front pulled back from the duty-free zone between the Syrian and Jordanian crossings at the request of the Southern Front.^[11][18] A spokesperson for the Southern Front said they would not cooperate militarily with al-Nusra Front.^[11]

Analysis

The Nasib border crossing was the last major government-held border crossing with Jordan, and vital for transporting goods from Lebanon and Syria to Jordan and Gulf countries. The capture would possibly affect Lebanon's, Syria's and Jordan's economies greatly, according to the Lebanon's Economy Minister.^[14] It was a heavy blow to the government's efforts to rebuild Syria's export trade crippled by the civil war since the post was a conduit for $2 billion of bilateral trade annually. Muhanad al-Asfar, a senior member of the Syrian Exporters' Union, described the loss of the border post as a "catastrophe" for the Syrian economy.^[19]

An analysis by the Heinrich Böll Foundation suggested that Jordan gave approval to the Southern Front to take over the crossing, Jordan thereby putting its political interests over its economic interests, as the seizure would have a negative economic impact on Jordan, as well as on the Syrian government, and damaged Jordan's remaining diplomatic relations with the Syrian government.^[20]

References

1. "The clashes continue around Nasib border crossing, and the helicopters drop 9 barrel bombs on Ibtaa and al- Sheikh Meskin". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
2. "Syrian rebels seize Jordan crossing from govt control: rebel, security source". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
3. "Syrian rebels capture main border crossing with Jordan". Cairo Post. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
4. "Conflict Reporter on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
5. "ISIS storms Damascus suburb of Yarmouk". The Daily Star Lebanon. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
6. "Syrian aircraft bomb area near captured Jordan crossing". Reuters. 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
7. "Hala Jaber on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
8. "Jordan border crossing falls to Nusra, allies". Syria Direct. 2 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
9. المرصد السوري. "بالصور قوات النظام تخسر تواجدها في معبر رسمي على الحدود مع الأردن عقب سيطرة المقاتلين على معبر نصيب الحدودي". المرصد السورى لحقوق الإنسان. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
10. المرصد السوري. "أكثر من 30 شهيد في ريف درعا جراء قصف جوي لطائرات النظام الحربية والمروحية". المرصد السورى لحقوق الإنسان. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
11. "Rebels in southern Syria split with Al Qaeda after tensions". Arutz Sheva. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
12. مدار اليوم. "الريس: الجبهة الجنوبية تحقق في حوادث السرقة والنصرة لم تشارك بتحرير معبر نصيب". مدار اليوم. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
13. "IS militants battle armed groups in Syria refugee camp". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
14. "Jihadis abduct Lebanese truckers, loot vehicles". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
15. "The Nusra Front retreats from the gate of the crossing border of Nasib". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 4 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
16. "An agreement held in the courthouse of Horan to release the detainees and organize Nasib crossing". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 5 April 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
17. "Two truckers still in captivity on Syrian-Jordanian border". The Daily Star Lebanon. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
18. Jabhat al-Nusra pulls back from the shared area in Nassib crossing. Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 11 April 2015.
19. Al-Khalidi, Suleiman (23 April 2015). "Rebel seizure of Syrian border post hits exporters across region". Reuters Canada. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015. Syrian rebels' seizure of the main frontier crossing with Jordan has dealt a heavy blow to the Damascus government's efforts to revive a once thriving export trade crippled by civil war [...] "Nasib in particular is a catastrophe for us and for our products and also for the Jordanian side too because it also handled cargo and commercial exchanges," Muhanad al-Asfar, a senior member of the Syrian Exporters' Union told state television this week.
20. Haid, Haid (21 August 2015). "The Southern Front: allies without a strategy". Heinrich Böll Foundation. Retrieved 30 August 2015.