fields north of al-Malihah. 500 rebels managed to withdraw towards the center of East Ghouta, while 100–150 rebel fighters were killed in the retreat. During the battle for Al-Malihah, opposition forces used an extensive network of tunnels under the town and the surrounding wooded areas which favoured rebel tactics. This resulted in the slow pace of the government force's advance during the four months of fighting. The tunnel network was considered to be one of the most complex networks found in the war. After the town fell, the military planned to use it as a springboard to advance into the rest of the Eastern Ghouta region. The capture of Al-Malihah was followed by a new Army offensive later that month. References Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2014 Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the al-Nusra Front Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Free Syrian Army Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving the Syrian government Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Hezbollah Rif Dimashq Governorate in the Syrian civil war Battles of the Syrian civil war