Key Facts
- Codename
- al-Jazeera Storm / Operation Roundup
- Duration
- 2017–2019 (approx. 2 years)
- Victory declared
- 23 March 2019
- Key IS stronghold captured
- Hajin
- Coalition air support
- CJTF–OIR (U.S.-led coalition)
Strategic Narrative Overview
The campaign unfolded in multiple phases. An initial phase ran concurrently with the Raqqa campaign before stalling in early 2018 due to Turkey's military operation in Afrin. Operation Roundup resumed on 1 May 2018, and a third phase began in September 2018 but was interrupted by Turkish artillery fire on SDF positions. After resuming in November, the SDF steadily advanced, capturing IS's Hajin stronghold before launching a final assault on 9 February 2019.
01 / The Origins
Following the Islamic State's seizure of vast swaths of eastern Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S.-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, launched a campaign in 2017 to wrest control of Deir ez-Zor Governorate from IS. The operation aimed to collapse IS territorial control east and north of the Euphrates River, part of a broader coalition effort to destroy the so-called caliphate across Syria and Iraq.
03 / The Outcome
The SDF declared victory on 23 March 2019 after overrunning IS's last pocket of territory in Syria. The campaign effectively ended the Islamic State's physical territorial caliphate in the country. A ten-day civilian evacuation pause preceded the final assault, reflecting the humanitarian complexity of the operation. The defeat of IS in Deir ez-Zor marked the conclusion of the group's last organized territorial resistance in Syria.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.