2019 Estmere-Zorasan Crisis

Estmere-Zorasan Crisis
Date 6 July 2019-present Location Estmere, Solarian Sea, Zorasan Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Template:Country data Estmere Supported by: COMSED •Senria •Gaullica	Zorasan Supported by: ROSPO •Shangea •Tsabara
Commanders and leaders
Template:Country data Estmere Reginald Wilton-Smyth (Prime Minister of Estmere)	Vahid Isfandiar (State President of Zorasan) Farzad Akbari (First Minister of Zorasan)
Casualties and losses
Assad Erekat killed

The Estmere-Zorasan Crisis or the Assad Erekat Crisis is an ongoing diplomatic-military escalation of tension between Estmere and Zorasan. It began with the assassination of former Zorasani MP, Assad Erekat. Tensions over Estmere's accusation against the Zorasani intelligence services provoked a diplomatic crisis, alongside military tensions sparked by a naval standoff on 15 July.

Background

Assassination of Assad Erekat

The attack occurred nearby Kennford's famous abbey.

On Saturday July 6th, Erekat was walking his dog in down-town Kennford near Craweford Circus, located across the street from the city's popular abbey. Both he and his dog were found unconscious by local police around 9:45 EST, who later evacuated the city centre while a shelter in place alert was issued for the rest of Kennford. What was initially reported to be a suspicious package was found in a nearby trash can. An unconscious Erekat was rushed to Ormond University Hospital, where he died on Monday July 8th. His dog had died previously. A spokesperson for Kennford police confirmed that he was killed in a chemical attack.

The attack drew the attention of the federal government, with the Justice Secretariat and federal law enforcement agencies involved from the start. After the government revealed Erekat was killed using a chemical agent, Estmere's counter-terrorism agency joined the investigation on July 8th. The issue posed a public health threat, with Kennford police urging those who may have been in the area during the time of the attack to be examined by medical professionals. On Friday July 12th, Estmerish prime minister Reginald Wilton-Smyth accused Zorasani intelligence agents of carrying out the attack on Erekat. The prime minister stated that: "Based on the information gathered by law enforcement and counter-terrorism agents on the ground, and reports complied from the intelligence community, it we can confirm that the Union of Zorasani Ifranic Republic was behind the assassination carried out in Kennford Saturday morning".

International reaction

• Gaullica – Following the reports that Zorasan would take Estmere to the Community of Nations, President Jean Vallette commented that Zorasan was playing a "game of diversion." In support of Estmere, the Gaullican President argued that "antics" in the Solarian Sea were inconsequential compared to the "calculated assassination of a person." He would add that by bringing Estmere to the Community of Nations, Isfandiar was aiming to distract the populace and the international community from his actions and the on-going water crisis.
• Soravia – President Mergen Baynev addressed the situation by saying that it is "in the interests" of all nations that Estmere and Zorasan come to a conclusion that "prevents the unnecessary escalation of global tension" and "benefits all parties". When asked which party he supported in the matter, Baynev refused to comment.
• Senria: In the wake of the poisoning and initial allegations of Zorasani involvement, Prime Minister Reika Okura said that it was unacceptable to "conduct operations of blood and terror on the soil of a foreign country", and called for "greater respect for national sovereignty". Following ROSPO threats of a response to alleged Estmerish violations of Zorasani territorial waters, Minister of Rites Yumi Takamatu told reporters than Senria and COMSED were "closely monitoring" the situation, denounced ROSPO's actions as "escalatory", and called for "negotiations between all parties".
• Shangea – Shangean Minister of Defence and Military Planning Zhao Qinghai commented that continued Estmerish action near Zorasani waters would result in a firm response from ROSPO whilst criticising the notion that the death of Ekarat was a valid reason for military action. Zhao also referred to Estmere's actions as gunboat diplomacy although the Ministry of International Relations later said that the Defence Minister had been "mistranslated".