View source for Battle of al-Rai (August 2016)

{{Short description|Part of the Syrian Civil War}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = Battle of al-Rai (August 2016)
| width       = 
| partof      = the [[Syrian Civil War]]
| image       = 2016 Aleppo campaign (within Northern Syria).svg
| caption     = Map of the greater campaign in the [[Aleppo Governorate]] which includes al-Rai
| date        = 15–20 August 2016 ({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=08|day1=15|year1=2016|month2=8|day2=20|year2=2016}})
| place       = [[Al-Bab District]], northern [[Aleppo Governorate]], [[Syria-Turkey border]]
| coordinates = 
| map         = 
| territory   = 
| result      = 
| status      = FSA victory
*First FSA attack on [[al-Rai, Syria|al-Rai]] repelled
*The FSA gains full control over al-Rai after a second offensive
*FSA repels a second ISIL counter-offensive
| combatant1  = {{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} '''[[Free Syrian Army]]'''<br>'''Supported by:'''<br/>{{flagicon image|Seal of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve.svg|border=no}} [[CJTF-OIR]]
* {{flagicon image|Flag_of_Turkey.svg|border=no}} '''[[Turkey]]'''<ref name="Turkey">{{cite web|url=http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A3%D9%87%D8%A8-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A/|title=Opposition groups are preparing to break into Jarabulus, northern Aleppo, from Turkey|work=ARA News|date=20 August 2016|access-date=20 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901002153/http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%A3%D9%87%D8%A8-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A/|archive-date=1 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| combatant2  = '''{{flag|Islamic State}}'''
| commander1  = {{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} Ismail Ahwaz<ref name=regulation>{{cite web|url=http://www.qasioun.net/ar/news/show/34750/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF_%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%84%D9%80%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86_%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%82_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%86%D8%A7_%D8%B6%D8%AF_%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9|title=Lacking military coordination in battles against state regulation|work=Qasioun|date=17 August 2016|access-date=18 August 2016|archive-date=20 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820093449/http://www.qasioun.net/ar/news/show/34750/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF_%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%84%D9%80%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86_%D9%86%D9%81%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%82_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%86%D8%A7_%D8%B6%D8%AF_%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9|url-status=dead}}</ref><br><small>(FSA commander)</small><br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Sham Legion.svg}} Saleh Zein<ref name=grain>{{cite web|url=http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A8-%D9%82%D8%B1/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904075704/http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%A8-%D9%82%D8%B1/|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 4, 2016|title=Factions of the opposition control grain near al-Rai in northern Aleppo|work=ARA News|date=15 August 2016}}</ref><br><small>([[Sham Legion]] field commander)</small><br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Sultan Murad Brigade.png}} Col. Ahmed Osman<ref name=car>{{cite web|url=http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=584820|title=After the capture of al-Rai, will Turkey force the FSA to fight in Jarabulus?|work=Al-Quds|date=20 August 2016}}</ref><br><small>(Sultan Murad Division squad commander)</small><br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Northern Division (Syrian rebel group).jpg}} Lt. Col. Abdul Moneim<ref name=car/><br><small>(Northern Division commander)</small>
| commander2  = {{flagicon|ISIL}} Unnamed ISIL leader{{POW}}<ref name=north/>
| units1      = {{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} [[Free Syrian Army]]
*{{flagicon image|Insignia of the 13th Division.svg}} [[13th Division (Syrian rebel group)|13th Division]]
*{{flagicon image|Flag of the Sultan Murad Brigade.png}} [[Sultan Murad Division]]
*{{flagicon image|Flag of the Northern Division (Syrian rebel group).jpg}} [[Northern Division (Syrian rebel group)|Northern Division]]
*{{flagicon image|Alternate flag of the Mountain Hawks Brigade.png}} [[Mountain Hawks Brigade]]
*{{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} [[Fastaqim Kama Umirt]]
*{{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} [[Levant Front]]
*{{flagicon|Syrian opposition}} [[Hamza Division (Aleppo)|Hamza Division]]
{{flagicon image|Al-Liwaa.svg}} [[Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki]]<br>
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Sham Legion.svg}} [[Sham Legion]]<br>
[[Turkish Armed Forces]]
*{{flagicon image|Flag of Turkish Land Forces Command.svg}} [[Turkish Land Forces]]<ref name="Turkey" />
| units2      = [[Military activity of ISIL|Military of ISIL]]
* [[ISIL territorial claims|Wilayat Halab]]
| strength1   = 
| strength2   = 
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = 10+ killed<ref name=4s>{{cite web|url=http://all4syria.info/Archive/337102|title=10 Daesh members killed while trying to break into northern Aleppo|work=All4Syria|date=19 August 2016|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021185312/http://all4syria.info/Archive/337102|archive-date=21 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| casualties3 = 
| notes       = 
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Syrian uprising}}
}}

The '''Battle of al-Rai''' was fought in August 2016 between the [[Free Syrian Army]] (FSA) and the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]] in the [[border town]] of [[al-Rai, Syria|al-Rai]], part of the northern [[Aleppo Governorate]] on the [[Syria-Turkey border|border with Turkey]], which resulted in the FSA capturing the town.

==Background==
{{main article|Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016)}}
On 8 April 2016, rebels from the [[Hawar Kilis Operations Room]] captured [[al-Rai, Syria|al-Rai]] and more than a dozen other villages, but withdrew after an ISIL counter-offensive 3 days later that recaptured almost all the villages they have lost. The rebels also briefly took over the town for a few hours in June before being driven out.<ref name=grain/>

==The battle==
On 15 August 2016, after heavy [[artillery]] bombardment rebels began to storm the al-Rai [[grain silo]]s and captured the silos along with several other positions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/islamists-fail-capture-al-rai-northern-aleppo/|title=Islamists fail to capture Al-Rai in northern Aleppo|work=Al-Masdar News|date=16 August 2016|access-date=18 August 2016|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502062421/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/islamists-fail-capture-al-rai-northern-aleppo/|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, they were forced to withdraw the next morning after an ISIL counterattack from the north which recaptured all the points ISIL lost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A-%D8%AE%D8%B3/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818051726/http://aranews.org/2016/08/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A-%D8%AE%D8%B3/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2016|title=Daesh regain control of points it lost in the town of al-Rai in northern Aleppo|work=ARA News|date=16 August 2016}}</ref> [[Landmine]]s played a role in slowing down the offensive.<ref name=regulation/>

On 17 August, FSA fighters launched a second assault after targeting IS positions with [[rocket artillery]], breaking through the first lines of defense and re-entering the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skynewsarabia.com/web/article/866736/%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9|title=Syrian opposition entering the town of al-Rai on the border with Turkey|work=Sky News Arabia|date=17 August 2016}}</ref> The FSA blew up 3 [[car bomb]]s during the battle<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qasioun.net/ar/news/show/34777/%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF_%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%89_%D9%85%D9%86_%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9_%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A_%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8|title=The Syrian opposition take prisoners in the town of al-Rai, north of Aleppo|work=Qasioun|date=18 August 2016|access-date=18 August 2016|archive-date=19 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019072218/http://www.qasioun.net/ar/news/show/34777/%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF_%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%89_%D9%85%D9%86_%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%B8%D9%8A%D9%85_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9_%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AF_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A_%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8|url-status=dead}}</ref> and fully captured al-Rai and its [[border crossing]] later that day, taking a number of surrendering ISIL militants as [[prisoners of war]].<ref name=north>{{cite web|url=http://24.com.eg/syria-news/1566638/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82-%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B2%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414145838/http://24.com.eg/syria-news/1566638/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82-%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B2%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%AD%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%82%D8%A8%D8%B6%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%B4.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2020|title=Syria news today from Aleppo and Damascus: factions capture town in northern Aleppo countryside from Daesh|work=24.com|date=18 August 2016}}</ref>

On the same day, the [[USAF]] operating as part of the [[CJTF-OIR]] conducted [[air support]] for the rebels during the battle by bombing several IS units near al-Rai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inherentresolve.mil/Portals/1/Documents/Strike%20Releases/2016/08%20August/20160817%20Strike%20Release%20Final.pdf?ver=2016-08-17-090208-147|title=Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq|work=Inherent Resolve|date=17 August 2016|access-date=2016-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215153148/http://www.inherentresolve.mil/Portals/1/Documents/Strike%20Releases/2016/08%20August/20160817%20Strike%20Release%20Final.pdf?ver=2016-08-17-090208-147|archive-date=2016-12-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> Fighting continued in the outskirts of the town as ISIL retained its headquarters in nearby Dudyan.<ref name=regulation/>

Due to the short time given to rebels to fortify the area, IS launched a rapid counter-offensive from the east on 19 August and recaptured the grain silos and nearby hilltops.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-recaptures-key-town-northern-aleppo/|title=ISIS recaptures key town in northern Aleppo|work=Al-Masdar News|date=19 August 2016|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-date=2 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502053031/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-recaptures-key-town-northern-aleppo/|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the rebels repelled the attack on the town and claimed to have killed more than 10 IS fighters.<ref name=4s/> {{anchor|al-Rai Grain Silo}}FSA fighters also recaptured the grain silos the next day.<ref name=car/>

==Aftermath==
{{main article|Jarabulus offensive (2016)}}
On 20 August, a large number of rebels and a military convoy containing more than 50 vehicles loaded with heavy and medium weapons from al-Rai were transferred to the Turkish border with [[Jarabulus]], as the [[Turkish Armed Forces]] prepared for an attack on Jarabulus.<ref name="Turkey" />

Between 27 and 28 August, the rebels claimed to had capture three villages east of al-Rai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/27-august-fsa-advanced-from-alrai-town-and-took-control-of|title=FSA advanced from al-Rai town and took control of Haddabat and Thaljat Gharbi village|access-date=11 September 2016}}</ref><ref name="syria.liveuamap.com">{{cite web|url=http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/28-august-fsa-capture-sheikhmulla-yaqub-east-of-alrai--|title=FSA capture Sheikh/Mulla Ya'qub east of al-Ra'i|access-date=11 September 2016}}</ref> However, it was reported that on 27 August, IS recaptured al-Rai.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-recaptures-syrian-border-town-al-rai-after-defeat-jarablus-by-turkish-backed-rebels-1578339|title=Isis recaptures Syrian border town al-Rai after defeat in Jarablus by Turkish-backed rebels|first=Fiona|last=Keating|date=27 August 2016|access-date=11 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-recaptures-al-rai-following-massive-attack/|title=ISIS recaptures Al-Rai following massive attack|first=Izat|last=Charkatli|date=27 August 2016|access-date=11 September 2016|archive-date=27 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827174552/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-recaptures-al-rai-following-massive-attack/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The next day, al-Rai was once again reported to be rebel-held.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/PetoLucem/status/769944750552154113|title=Peto Lucem on Twitter|access-date=11 September 2016}}</ref> By 4 September, FSA captured all of the ISIL-controlled territory along the Turkish-Syrian border.<ref name="Border">[http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=50222 IS is losing connection with the international world and being besieged inside the Syrian lands] SOHR (4 September 2016)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}}
{{Military intervention against ISIL}}

{{coord missing|Syria}}

[[Category:Conflicts in 2016|al-Rai]]
[[Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2016|al-Rai]]
[[Category:Aleppo Governorate in the Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Al-Bab District]]
[[Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Turkey|al-Rai]]
[[Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Free Syrian Army|al-Rai]]
[[Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|al-Rai]]
[[Category:August 2016 events in Syria]]
[[Category:Battles of the Syrian civil war|al-Rai]]
[[Category:Battles in 2016]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:al-Rai (August 2016)}}