page_title: Western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016)
section_title: First week
hierarchical_section_title: Western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016) / The offensive / First week
caption_attribution_description: English: A simplified map of Kurdish advancements during the second Western Al Bab offensive. Created in gimp 2.8. Influenced by many maps from creators: MrPenguin20, PetoLucem, Edmaps Syria, and so on.
context_page_description: The western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016) was a multi-sided military confrontation between the Syrian Army, the Syrian Democratic Forces, other FSA factions, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in the countryside of northwestern Aleppo Governorate, south of the towns of Mare' and Tel Rifaat.
context_section_description: On 18 and 19 October, in response to Syrian National Army forces moving south following their capture of the town of Dabiq from ISIL and reaching the northern shore of the Shahba Reservoir, the Syrian Democratic Forces advanced to the southeast and captured several villages on the southern shore of the reservoir, including the dam. In response to the advance, rebel and Turkish artillery in the countryside of Azaz shelled positions of the Army of Revolutionaries in Herbel and other villages under the control of the SDF. Meanwhile, the Turkish Air Force also conducted 26 airstrikes on SDF positions in the area.
  On 20 October, the rebels seized the Hasiyah farms (which the SDF had taken from ISIL), although the SDF still controlled the village of Hasiyah. Meanwhile, ISIL recaptured a hill from the SDF. The next day, fighting raged around three villages as the rebels attempted to advance against the SDF, while the Turkey-backed forces managed to capture one other. Concurrently, the SDF withdrew from six villages previously held by ISIL to avoid being cut off by the Turkish-backed rebels. Later that evening, the rebels withdrew after 10 hours of fighting, being unable to advance, while the SDF managed to recapture the village and farms they lost. The SDF started preparations for a second rebel attack expected the next day.
  On 22 October, a new rebel assault, backed-up by Turkish tanks, was repelled, with one Turkish tank reportedly being hit by the SDF. Fighting was concentrated near Tell Rifaat, while Turkish tanks were positioned at both Tell Rifaat and Mare'. The next day, the SDF seized a farm in a counter-attack in the area of the Shahba dam, where they captured a rebel BMP-1 armored vehicle. A drone was also shot down by the SDF.
  On 23 October, Turkish artillery continued shelling Sheikh Issa and Herbel, and Jandairis to the west away from the front was also extensively shelled. According to Hawar, bodies of 20 dead rebels were returned to Azaz, causing some rebels to refuse to join the fight against the SDF due to the heavy casualties and which led to internecine clashes. The next day, there were reports that the Levant Front ceased their attacks on the SDF and had retreated east. In contrast, the Hamza Division declared their continued determination to fight the pro-YPG forces and that the offensive against the SDF would soon resume. Meanwhile, rebel advances against ISIL resumed, with the rebels capturing five villages and a farm area.
caption: Map of the offensive
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