Battle of Maysalun

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Battle of Maysalun

The Battle of Maysalun occurred on 24 July 1920, near Khan Maysalun in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, about 25 kilometers west of Damascus. It was fought between French forces of the Army of the Levant and the Syrian Arab army loyal to King Faisal, who had declared himself King of Syria earlier that year.

What happened
- The French, led by General Mariano Goybet and backed by tanks and aircraft, faced off against Yusuf al-Azma and the remnants of the Arab Army plus volunteer fighters.
- French strength was about 9,000–12,000 troops; Syrians were around 3,000–4,000, many poorly equipped.
- The battle began early in the morning. French tanks and infantry moved to break the Syrian lines, while the Syrians resisted but were poorly coordinated.
- By about 8:30, the French had broken the central Syrian trench. By 10:30 they reached al-Azma’s headquarters. Al-Azma was killed in action, and the Syrian defense collapsed. Intermittent clashes continued until about 13:30 as the French pursued retreating forces.

Casualties
- French: about 42 killed, 152 wounded, 14 missing (according to French figures).
- Syrians: around 150 killed and about 1,500 wounded (French figures).

Aftermath
- The French entered Damascus the following day, 25 July, while Faisal and most of his cabinet fled to the south.
- France then established a mandate over Syria and moved to divide the territory into several statelets.
- The battle is seen in Syria as a symbol of brave resistance against a stronger power, even as it led to French control. Faisal eventually left Syria for Haifa on 1 August.

Legacy
- The conflict marked the end of Faisal’s attempt to rule a unified Syrian state and the start of French rule under the mandate system. The event is commemorated in Syria as a moment of national resistance.