The Siege of Homs was a major battle of the Syrian Civil War that was fought between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Arab Army in the rebel stronghold of Homs from May 2011 to May 2014.
On 18 March 2011, just three days after the Arab Spring protests in Syria began to escalate, thousands of protesters gathered in Homs for a "Friday of Dignity" protest. In April, security forces began firing on demonstrators, resulting in dozens of deaths. Homs became known as the "Capital of the Revolution" due to its strong support for the revolution. On 6 May 2011, the Syrian Army killed 15 protesters in clashes, and, on 8 May, Army units entered several of the city's districts while conducting a manhunt for all known opposition activists and supporters. By 10 May, the military claimed total control over Homs, but urban guerrilla warfare ensued. By September, sectarian clashes in Homs between Alawites and Sunnis intensified. In October 2011, a Free Syrian Army brigade ambushed government forces in the Baba Amr neighborhood and defended it from government counterattacks through early November. In December, an Arab League mission failed to dissuade the government crackdown, and, in February 2012, the Syrian army launched an offensive against Baba Amr, shelling the entire district and blocking all supply routes. A ground offensive in March forced the rebels to withdraw. By early May, only sporadic street fighting and shelling occurred, with the opposition being reduced to control over 15% to 20% of Homs. By December 20212, only the Old City, the Khalidiya district, and a few other areas were under rebel control. In March 2013, government forces assaulted the opposition-controlled neighborhoods, but rebel reinforcements from al-Qusayr repelled the attacks. A rebel attack on Baba Amr in March failed, and, by early April, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia arrived and aided the government forces in recapturing all of Khalidiya by late July. In early May 2014, the government allowed the remaining rebels to evacuate the city, leaving Homs under full government control.