[13] On 15 January 2015, the rebels launched an offensive on the village of Tal Salmo that was geared at opening a new front south of the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase.

The rebels attacked 2 points controlled by the army's 11th Tank Division and the National Defense Forces (NDF) at Tal Salmo.

[11] The following day, the rebels pounded the village of Tal Salmo with a barrage of mortar shells in order to weaken the army fortifications.

After that, the militants stormed the army defenses at Tal Salmo, attempting to breach the latter's frontlines from the western perimeter of the village.

The rebels were unsuccessful in their infiltration attempt, as the army fought off the assault, resulting in their complete control of the checkpoints adjacent to the village.

[29] On 18 January 2015, an Antonov An-26 operated by the Syrian Air Force crashed while attempting to land at the besieged Abu al-Duhur military airport.

[35] On 26 August 2015, the rebels launched an assault on the airbase attempting to bypass the Army's frontline defenses from two axes before they were repelled.

The rebels began their assault by sending two suicide bombers with their VBIED toward the base's western gates; however, the two militants were unsuccessful in reaching their destination, as the guards destroyed the enemy vehicles.

Following their unsuccessful suicide attacks, the militants stormed the western axis of the Airport, where they attempted to bypass the fortifications at the main gate of the base.

[36] On 7 September 2015, the rebels launched another assault on the airbase under the cover of a heavy sandstorm[37] after at least one al-Nusra fighter blew himself up inside the base.

[38] That day, the rebels captured Tabarat al-Khashit and its hill on the outskirts, forcing the government fighters to retreat towards the eastern gate.