Battle of Tell 'Asur

Battle of Tell 'Asur
Part of the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
Jerusalem to Nablus Road shows Ain Sinia on left and Yebrud on right. Photo taken by the 230th Brigade, 74th Division.
Date 8–12 March 1918 Location General attack along front line from the Mediterranean coast to western edge of Jordan Valley. Result British Empire victory
Belligerents
British Empire  United Kingdom  Australia	Ottoman Empire  German Empire
Commanders and leaders
Edmund Allenby Edward Bulfin Philip Chetwode	Fevzi Pasha Erich von Falkenhayn Liman von Sanders
Units involved
XX Corps XXI Corps 1st Light Horse Brigade	Seventh Army Eighth Army

The Battle of Tell 'Asur, also known as the actions of Tel Asur or the Battle of Turmus 'Aya, took place 8–12 March 1918, after the decisive victory at the Battle of Jerusalem and the Capture of Jericho during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. Fighting took place over an area which extended from the Mediterranean to Abu Tellul and Mussalabeh on the edge of the Jordan Valley.

After the capture of Jericho by the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) in February 1918 the occupation of the Jordan Valley began. However, the captured territory was not sufficiently broad to provide a strong enough base for the planned Transjordan operations. The EEF's front line was successfully pushed northwards following attacks by the XX and XXI Corps against the Ottoman Seventh Army and Eighth Army. At the end of March the First Transjordan attack on Amman was launched to be followed the next month by the Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt.