Operation Harpe

Operation Harpe
Part of the Zemplen War
Syaran Myrmidon outside Kapsovar
Date 16 May - 18 July 2009 Location Northern Ruvelka Result See Aftermath
Belligerents
Ruvelka	Syara
Commanders and leaders
Edviná Molnár	Nikodemos Cvetkov
Units involved
Imperial Armed Forces of Ruvelka	Army Group Alpha
Strength
725,000 troops	500,000 troops
Casualties and losses
41,000 killed 104,000 wounded 85,000 captured	33,000 killed 76,000 wounded

Operation Harpe was a strategic offensive launched by the Syaran Commonality Armed Forces in May 2009 against Ruvelkan forces in northern Ruvelka. The Syarans hoped to utilize Army Group Alpha to break through Ruvelkan defenses between the major cities of Kapsovar and Kunhegyes, with the eventual goal of sealing off Ruvelka's northern coastline to foreign imports, crippling Ruvelka's ability to wage war.

Syaran Central Command devised the operation in light of heavy losses sustained during the Battle of Sagerejo, hoping that a focus pivot would enable Syaran forces to score a decisive victory over Ruvelka. Operation Harpe began on 16 May and after two weeks of heavy fighting the Syarans had breached Ruvelkan defenses along the Kapsovar-Kunhegyes Highway, capturing Harkány on 1 June. The Ruvelkan Imperial General Staff ordered a counter-attack with the 11th and 14th Armies, which succesfully stalled Syara's eastern advance. Unwilling to devote more forces eastward with significant Ruvelkans formations still in their rear echelon, Syaran forces refocused their efforts on encircling Ruvelkan troops in Kapsovar and Kunhegyes. Ruvelkan forces were unable to breakout of the encirclement and were forced to surrender, although some holdouts remained until August.

Despite the capture of two of Ruvelka's largest cities Harpe came at a heavy cost, with over 100,000 Syaran casualties. Ruvelkan losses amounted to 45,000 killed and 104,000 wounded. Operation Harpe was the last major strategic offensive of the war for Syara; Syaran reserves were beginning to run dry and the heavy losses sustained in the first six months of 2009 dissuaded the SCAF from further large scale operations until further reserves could be trained and deployed.