Battle of the Shaer gas field (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War
Shaer gas field
Date 2–30 May 2016 (4 weeks) Location Palmyra region, Homs Governorate, Syria Result Partial ISIL victory[citation needed] ISIL captures the Shaer gas field and the Huwaysis area. ISIL blow up Shaer Gas Field afterwards. Syrian Army recaptures the Huwaysis area
Belligerents
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant	Syrian Arab Republic Supported by:  Russia
Commanders and leaders
Abu Baraa Al Jazrawi	Unknown
Units involved
Unknown	Unknown Syrian military unit Russian Naval Infantry[1]
Casualties and losses
16 killed (1st day)	34 killed (1st day)

The Battle of the Shaer gas field took place between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Syrian government for the control over the Sha'er gas field during the Syrian Civil War. It is the third attack that was launched by ISIL on the gas field.

Offensive

On 5 May 2016, ISIL once again captured the Shaer gas field that had been held by the Syrian government since the Second Battle of the Shaer gas field.^[2] 34 soldiers and 16 ISIL fighters were killed during the battle for the field.^[3]

Four days later, ISIL attacked the nearby al-Mahr oil field, capturing al-Mahr hill, before the military recaptured the hill and repelled the attack on the field the following day.^[4] The same day, 10 May, ISIL captured an abandoned military base near the T4 airbase, cutting the main supply route to Palmyra. Government troops recaptured the base and reopened the supply road.^[5][6][7]

Mid-May, there were reports of explosions and a 4.4 Richter magnitude scale earthquake that was believed to be caused by the entire field blowing up.^[8][9]

On 30 May, government forces recaptured the Huwaysis area.^[10][11]

Aftermath

In late June, ISIL was once again in control of the Huwaysis area.^[12]

In early July, some media activists showed the first photos and videos of the preparation of blasting and explosion.

In September, pro-government forces regained control of the Huwaysis area.^[13] but lost it again in a December offensive before recapturing it yet again in early 2017.