Battle of Qalaat al-Janaq

Jump to navigation Jump to search
Battle of Qalaat al-Janaq
Part of the Western Theater (Siduri War)
QalaatBattle.jpg
Mansuri troops hold a regimental banner
Date3 September - 16 October 1936
Location
Qalaat al-Janaq on the coast of Mansuriyyah
Result Common Axis Victory
Belligerents
Mansuriyyah Republic of Syara
Commanders and leaders
Dawud Abdullah
Yasir al-Zahrani
Damir Radulovic
Sebajdin Degoricija
Units involved
13th Army Corps
8th Coastal Defense Regiment
27th Corps
Strength
75,000 troops 45,000 troops
Casualties and losses
10,300 killed
23,000 wounded
6,500 killed
12,250 wounded
16,000 captured

The Battle of Qalaat al-Janaq was a battle in the Siduri War fought between the Republic of Syara and Mansuriyyah from 3 September to 16 October, 1936. It was the only major ampbious landing attempted by the Inner Sphere during the war.

Following the Battle of the Mansuri Sea, the Navy of the Syaran Republic had gained a temporary advantage in the waters near Mansuriyyah. Following a failed summer drive towards the city of Dayr Hafir the Army of the Syaran Republic proposed an amphibious invasion along the Juwaiqi Bay to outflank Mansuri forces near the Qartaba Mountains. A total of 45,000 Syaran soldiers were to land at the tip of the bay and establish a staging area from which more Syaran reinforcements could arrive. The ultimate goal was to advance along the coast and help capture Dayr Hafir.

The operation was difficult to pull off due to Syaran inexperience with amphibious landings. Specially constructed landing craft had to be built for the Syaran troops, while naval gunfire from the Syaran fleet would provide fire support along with air cover from the Syaran Army Air Corps. The Syarans launched the operation in the early morning of 3 September and encountered resistance from the 8th Coastal Defense Regiment of the Mansuri Army. By 10 September the Syarans had secured their a landing zone, but the Syarans struggled to land additional troops and supplies. The bulk of Syaran forces were not ashore until late September, by which point the Mansuri had mobilized the 13th Army Corps under Lt. Genearl Dawud Abdullah to block the Syaran advance.

The Syarans attempted a breakout south of the Qartaba Mountains on 27 September, but were unable to do so. After more than a week of heavy figthing the Syaran learned that the Cacertian Empire had dispatched Cacertian Center Fleet to disrupt the Syaran operation. The Syarans attempted a second push, this time south along the coast, but were unable to breakthrough despite heavy support from naval gunfire. On 10 October Zovahr ordered the Syaran forces to withdraw from the peninsula. Mansuri efforts to disrupt the retreat resulted in the capture of 16,000 Syaran troops, and by 16 October the Syaran fleet had withdrawn from Mansuri waters.