Operation Spring Shield

Operation Spring Shield
	Part of the 2019–2020 northwestern Syria offensive and Turkish military operations in Idlib as part of Turkish involvement in the Syrian civil war
	; The situation after the ceasefire
Date	27 February – 6 March 2020; (1 week and 1 day)
Location	Northwestern Syria Latakia Governorate; Aleppo Governorate; Idlib Governorate; Hama Governorate;
Result	Ceasefire
Territorial; changes	Syrian government offensive on Idlib halted; Turkish Armed Forces and their allies capture the Zawiya Mountain and 18 villages; Syrian government forces and their allies capture the strategic Saraqib city and 4 villages;
Belligerents
Turkey	Syria; Iran; Hezbollah; Supported by:; Russia
Commanders and leaders
Hulusi Akar; (Minister of National Defense); Gen. Yaşar Güler; (Chief of the Turkish General Staff); Lt. Gen Sinan Yayla; (2nd Army commander);	Suheil al-Hassan; Maher al-Assad; Brig. Gen. Burhan Rahmun †; (commander of 124 Brigade of Republican Guard); Brig. Gen. Ismael Ali †; Col. Mazar Farwati †;
Units involved
Turkish Armed Forces Turkish Land Forces; Turkish Air Force;	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Arab Army; Syrian Arab Air Force; Syrian Air Defense Force; Iran IRGC; Lebanese Hezbollah;
Strength
8,350–20,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Per Turkey:; 40 killed; 81 wounded; (including Balyun airstrikes) Materiel:; 4 combat drones; destroyed or lost	Per Turkey: 3,159 killed or wounded; 8 helicopters; 2 SU-24 type aircraft; 1 L-39 type aircraft; 3 UAVs; 151 tanks; 51 other armored vehicles; 54 MLRS; 49 artillery; 34 technicals; 8 air defense systems (including 1 SA-17 and 2 SA-22); 12 ATGMs; 10 ammunition storages; Per SOHR:; 170 soldiers and 27 militiamen killed (between 15th of January and the 5th of March 2020); Per Middle East Institute:; 405 government soldiers and militias killed (between 28th of February and the 6th of March 2020); Including:; 9–14 killed, 30 wounded ; 21 killed Materiel (per independent sources):; 73 armored vehicles lost (T-55, T-62, T-72 tanks, BMP-1 armored vehicles); 26 artillery guns and 12 MLRS; 7 ZU-23 and ZSU-23 air defence guns and 2 Pantsir missile systems; 2 SU-24 and 1 L-39 shot down;
	a Includes losses since 10 February 2020.

Operation Spring Shield (Turkish: Bahar Kalkanı Harekâtı) was a cross-border military operation carried out by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in the Idlib Governorate of northwestern Syria against the Syrian Armed Forces and allied militias. The operation was launched on 27 February 2020 in direct response to the Balyun airstrikes, aiming to address the escalating situation in the region.

According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the primary objective of Operation Spring Shield was to achieve a ceasefire agreement within the framework of the Astana talks and to establish stability in the Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone. Additionally, the operation sought to prevent the mass migration of people from Idlib to the Turkish border, a pressing humanitarian concern.

On 5 March, Turkey and Russia signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow, marking a step towards de-escalation in the region.