This paper argues that the Syrian regime’s authoritarian nature
has affected the choice of the si... more This paper argues that the Syrian regime’s authoritarian nature has affected the choice of the siege as a tactic of counter-insurgency. The first section traces the evolution of urban locales as sites for the practice of war, and explores the geographies of counter-insurgency tactics, the justification for collective punishment, and the concept of ‘urbicide’. The tactics employed by the Syrian regime are examined in light of the history of counterinsurgency and urban warfare in Syria in the twentieth century. The evolution of the Syrian regime’s military doctrine is explored in order to show how it came to include siege tactics, which were first deployed in Hama in 1982 when Hafez al-Assad quashed the Islamist rebellion. Finally, the paper explores the imposition of sieges since April 2011, looking at how various armed groups employed sieges to achieve their military objectives. Two area case studies are given to illustrate the differences in military tactics between urban and rural sieges - the sieges of Yarmouk Camp and the Eastern Ghouta. The paper shows how siege tactics allowed the Syrian regime to isolate and contain sources of rebellion, and prevent them from spreading to key areas of strategic importance. Thus, siege tactics were one of the factors that contributed to the Syrian regime’s ability to survive during the current conflict, even when various analysts predicted its imminent fall.
This paper argues that the Syrian regime’s authoritarian nature
has affected the choice of the si... more This paper argues that the Syrian regime’s authoritarian nature has affected the choice of the siege as a tactic of counter-insurgency. The first section traces the evolution of urban locales as sites for the practice of war, and explores the geographies of counter-insurgency tactics, the justification for collective punishment, and the concept of ‘urbicide’. The tactics employed by the Syrian regime are examined in light of the history of counterinsurgency and urban warfare in Syria in the twentieth century. The evolution of the Syrian regime’s military doctrine is explored in order to show how it came to include siege tactics, which were first deployed in Hama in 1982 when Hafez al-Assad quashed the Islamist rebellion. Finally, the paper explores the imposition of sieges since April 2011, looking at how various armed groups employed sieges to achieve their military objectives. Two area case studies are given to illustrate the differences in military tactics between urban and rural sieges - the sieges of Yarmouk Camp and the Eastern Ghouta. The paper shows how siege tactics allowed the Syrian regime to isolate and contain sources of rebellion, and prevent them from spreading to key areas of strategic importance. Thus, siege tactics were one of the factors that contributed to the Syrian regime’s ability to survive during the current conflict, even when various analysts predicted its imminent fall.
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Papers by Will Todman
has affected the choice of the siege as a tactic of counter-insurgency.
The first section traces the evolution of urban locales as
sites for the practice of war, and explores the geographies of
counter-insurgency tactics, the justification for collective punishment,
and the concept of ‘urbicide’. The tactics employed by
the Syrian regime are examined in light of the history of counterinsurgency
and urban warfare in Syria in the twentieth century.
The evolution of the Syrian regime’s military doctrine is explored
in order to show how it came to include siege tactics,
which were first deployed in Hama in 1982 when Hafez al-Assad
quashed the Islamist rebellion. Finally, the paper explores the
imposition of sieges since April 2011, looking at how various
armed groups employed sieges to achieve their military objectives.
Two area case studies are given to illustrate the differences
in military tactics between urban and rural sieges - the sieges of
Yarmouk Camp and the Eastern Ghouta. The paper shows how
siege tactics allowed the Syrian regime to isolate and contain
sources of rebellion, and prevent them from spreading to key areas
of strategic importance. Thus, siege tactics were one of the
factors that contributed to the Syrian regime’s ability to survive
during the current conflict, even when various analysts predicted
its imminent fall.
has affected the choice of the siege as a tactic of counter-insurgency.
The first section traces the evolution of urban locales as
sites for the practice of war, and explores the geographies of
counter-insurgency tactics, the justification for collective punishment,
and the concept of ‘urbicide’. The tactics employed by
the Syrian regime are examined in light of the history of counterinsurgency
and urban warfare in Syria in the twentieth century.
The evolution of the Syrian regime’s military doctrine is explored
in order to show how it came to include siege tactics,
which were first deployed in Hama in 1982 when Hafez al-Assad
quashed the Islamist rebellion. Finally, the paper explores the
imposition of sieges since April 2011, looking at how various
armed groups employed sieges to achieve their military objectives.
Two area case studies are given to illustrate the differences
in military tactics between urban and rural sieges - the sieges of
Yarmouk Camp and the Eastern Ghouta. The paper shows how
siege tactics allowed the Syrian regime to isolate and contain
sources of rebellion, and prevent them from spreading to key areas
of strategic importance. Thus, siege tactics were one of the
factors that contributed to the Syrian regime’s ability to survive
during the current conflict, even when various analysts predicted
its imminent fall.