Terehan War

Terehan War
Date October 9th, 2022 (2 years, 1 month, 1 week and 3 days) Location Terehan
Belligerents
Invasion phase (2022) WEDA Coalition forces Zamastan Rio Palito Caspiaa Quetana Emmiria Albarine Sulifa East Chanchajilla Janapa Vitosium SCB Qolaysia SAB Cyruda Kalea Vorrica Saint Lorrain	Invasion phase (2022) Terehan Al-Fijar
Post-invasion	Post-invasion
Commanders and leaders
Sabine Armitage Easton Granholm Chantelle Carson Wira Santoso Tullia Grönberg Emília Medeiros Ian Abril Akram Sulaiman Sadie Melhaven Vincent Gatostico Mohammed Farhan Noa Apekalmoa Danio Beretta	Asaad al-Shaad Munsif al-Arshad Nuru Hossam Hajjar Houman Medo Awad Asad Fayyaad Saah Abdul Haafil Wakim
Strength
Coalition forces Zamastan: 162,000 Caspiaa: 40,000 Quetana: 24,000 Emmiria: 10,000 Vitosium: 7,000 Albarine: 5,000 Kalea: 5,000 SCB: 5,000 Qolaysia: 2,000 Rio Palito: 2,000 Janapa: 1,000 Sulifa: 1,000 Vorrica: 1,000 Cyruda: 600 East Chanchajilla: 500 SAB: 300 Saint Lorrain: 200	349,000

The Terehan War, also known as the 2022 invasion of Terehan, is an ongoing military conflict between the forces of WEDA and Terehan which began on October 9th, 2022, in direct response to the Beresa port bombing and being the result of a long series of mounting tensions. Beginning with a series of WEDA airstrikes on Terehan, the war quickly expanded to a wider ground campaign in a Zamastanian-led coalition of a combined force of more than 210,000 troops. The invasion was undertaken with the aim of overthrowing the government of Asaad al-Shaad, dismantling the regime's nuclear weapons program, destroying al-Fijar terrorist camps, and restoring an internationally-backed democracy.

Because Tiqal and Shariati, the only countries with whom Terehan shares a land border, denied WEDA's requests to stage troops for the invasion, WEDA was forced to undertake a massive series of amphibious landings across the entirity of Terehan's coastal regions. While resistance was particularly strong in the western regions, due in large part to the industrial and symbolic importance for the al-Shaad regime, the eastern regions of the country largely capitulated to WEDA control within the first days of the operation, as provincial governors joined ongoing revolutions against al-Shaad and declared their intentions to overthrow the regime. After around a week of fighting and WEDA capturing the major ports of Jataran, Olharat, and Catahle, and effectively controling the coastal provinces, a massive assault against the capital of Casaat was undertaken.

Background

Tensions with Terehan

During ancient times, lands that now constitute Terehan were known as Telaanha and were occupied by many kingdoms and empires, notably the Emmirians. Following the Barretoan Wars, Terehan became a democracy, though since the 1930s it had widely been considered authoritarian. Terehan waged a series of wars against its neighbors throughout history, including the Tiqal-Terehan War which lasted from 1978 to 1984 and killed upwards of 600,000 people. Its government has attracted widespread criticism for its significant constraints and abuses against human rights and civil liberties, including several violent suppressions of mass protests, unfair elections, and limited rights for women and for children. In 2018, Asaad al-Shaad became President and began pursuing a nuclear program which many in the international community claimed was a pursuit for a nuclear weapon.

Asaad al-Shaad delivers an address announcing the executions of 11 foreign nationals after charging them with espionage, June 14th, 2022

In June 2022, dozens of foreign nationals (13 Zamastanian, 2 Caspiaan, 1 Haduastani) were arrested in Terehan under suspicion of espionage. Asaad al-Shaad sentenced them to death, which led to international condemnation being levied against the nation's rogue nuclear weapons program, which al-Shaad continued to deny existed. As nations sanctioned Terehan and called for the release of the captives, al-Shaad endorsed the terrorist group Al-Fijar and called on the group to attack "anti-Muslim" nations. The same day, a terrorist inspired by al-Shaad's endorsement carried out a suicide bombing in Helniemi, Caspiaa, killing 28 people. The captives were executed one week after their detention, leading to a near total international block of diplomatic and economic relations with Terehan. On July 10th, a series of bombings struck Oftbon, Elbresia, killing 290 people. The perpetrators were connected to Terehan, and on July 13th, WEDA conducted a string of airstrikes against 14 military facilities in the Terehanian cities of Catahle, Jataran, and Casaat as an act of retribution. The airstrikes led to Terehan releasing 49 other foreign captives who were set for execution, with al-Shaad conceding that WEDA would not pursue further military action if the hostages were released.

On September 9th, al-Shaad admitted to Terehan's nuclear program being used to construct nuclear weapons, and stressed that his country would never abandon the nuclear weapons in order to counter WEDA, which he accused of pushing to weaken the country's defenses and eventually collapse his government. Terehan's legislature passed a law which spelled out conditions where Terehan would be inclined to use its nuclear weapons, including when it determines that its leadership is facing an imminent "nuclear or non-nuclear attack by hostile forces." The law requires Terehan's military to "automatically" execute nuclear strikes against enemy forces, including their "starting point of provocation and the command," if Casaat's leadership comes under attack. The law also says Terehan could use nukes to prevent an unspecified "catastrophic crisis" to its government and people, a loose definition that experts say reflect an escalatory nuclear doctrine that could create greater concerns for neighbors. Al-Shaad also criticized Saint Croix and Bens in particular over its plans to expand its conventional strike capabilities and revive large-scale military exercises with WEDA to counter the growing threats, describing them as a "dangerous" military action that raises tensions.

Al-Shaad was combative toward WEDA in a September 29th speech and urged his country to expand the operational roles of its tactical nuclear weapons, to accelerate their deployment to strengthen the country's war deterrent. Those comments appeared to align with a ruling party decision in June to approve unspecified new operational duties for front-line troops, which analysts say likely include plans to deploy battlefield nuclear weapons targeting rival nations in South Adula. The government also communicated a threat that it could use its nuclear weapons during conflicts with WEDA's conventional forces, which would raise the risk of accidental clashes in such maritime provocations escalating into a nuclear crisis. Terehan had been speeding its development of nuclear-capable, short-range missiles that can target Saint Croix and Bens. However, as of October 2022 the nuclear program was not yet at the capacity to develop a weapon.

The 30 September 2022 student-led uprising against the Terehanian regime was violently put down by al-Shaad's military, resulting in the deaths of more than 7,000 people.

Terehanian human rights abuses

The Terehanian government had long been under the control of an authoritarian regime guising itself to the world as a democracy, since the president is elected by Terehanian citizens in a direct election. However, international observers have stated there has not been a "free" election since 1956, as all Presidents have been members of the National Progressive Front and their margins of electoral victory are often above 90%. Additionally, the situation for human rights in Terehan had long been a significant concern among independent organizations and the Coalition of Crown Albatross, who in 2013 referred to the country's record as "among the worst in the world." The authorities are accused of arresting democracy and human rights activists, censoring websites, detaining bloggers, and imposing travel bans. Arbitrary detention, torture, and disappearances are widespread. Although Terehan's constitution guarantees gender equality, critics say that personal statutes laws and the penal code discriminate against women and girls. Moreover, it also grants leniency for so-called 'Honor killing'. As of 1 October 2022 during an attempted uprising against President Asaad al-Shaad, the CCA reported that more than 7000 people, mostly civilians, were massacred by government forces.

Beresa port bombing

See: 2022 Beresa port bombing

2022 Beresa port bombing
The aftermath of the bombing at the naval port in Beresa
Location	Beresa Naval Port, Beresa, Saint Croix and Bens
Date	October 1st, 2022 8:02 PM
Weapons	Ammonium nitrate explosion
Deaths	988 (including the perpetrators)
Non-fatal injuries	2,000+
Perpetrator	6 Terehanian agents

At 5:09 AM (SCB) on October 1st, 2022, the MIM Rhosis entered Beresa's commercial harbor, where it was checked and authorized for entry by port officials. Cargo records and a sweep check by port officials confirmed a load of chemical substance for factory use in the nearby industrial zone neighboring the port. The Rhosis was permitted to anchor at dock 6A, which sits 2 kilometers across the harbor from the Naval Port. At 5:35 PM, the Rhosis lifted anchor and turned on its engines without consulting port authorities, and began crossing the harbor towards the naval base. Intelligence reports by SCB agencies and the Zamastanian Intelligence Service cited radio communications picked up on channels utilized primarily by Terehanian military personnel in the perimeter of the harbor only an hour prior to the explosion. While the exact location of the communications had not been determined, they did consist of a message in which individuals speaking in Terehanian confirming 'authorization to proceed'. They also confirmed that the radio communications ceased at around the same time that the barge, MNIN Rhosis, left its previously approved anchor point and began crossing the harbor into restricted waters of the naval base. This is believed to have been a confirmation between Terehanian commanders and the crew of the barge to initiate the attack.

Traveling at low speed, the boat's transponder was switched to a 'clear signal' under the SCB military's clearance, and it entered restricted base waters at 7:21 PM. At 7:49 PM, it pulled alongside the Zamastanian cruiser Grouse, adjusting positioning before dropping anchor and powering down. Its crew of six remained on board. At 7:53 PM, SCB and Zamastanian sailors on both the Grouse and the Beresi alerted base authorities that the barge had pulled up alongside the warships, and within moments security personnel arrived to the dock to investigate. One of the Rhosis' crew came out from the cabin and exchanged words with responding security officials, but refused to cast a boarding ladder for the officers to investigate, and refused to pull the boat out of its anchor spot between the warships. An argument ensued, and the crew member reentered the cabin at 7:59 PM. Surveillance footage from just prior to the explosion had been used to identify the crew member who argued with security personnel on the dock as a Terehanian national named Jaadallah al-Farid, a former-member of the Terehanian armed forces.

A detailed view of the damage to ZMS Jackson. A patch has been welded over the below-waterline damage. Image taken while in dry dock on 3 October 2022

At 8:01 PM, the barge exploded as a result of the crew members on board detonating explosives with the cargo of ammonium nitrate. The resulting blast engulfed the port, ripping apart the adjoining warships and causing major damage to dozens of nearby vessels docked along the row. The blast sent a red-orange cloud into the air, which was briefly surrounded by a white condensation cloud. The red-orange color of the smoke was caused by nitrogen dioxide, a byproduct of ammonium nitrate decomposition. The explosion shook the central business district of Beresa, where many buildings suffered broken windows. The blast was heard as far away as the SCB capital of Saint Elmenau and the Alecburghish capital of Kynnport. Despite inefficient transmission of the shock waves into the ground, seizmologists measured the blast as a 3.3 local magnitude earthquake. Experts estimated that the explosion was one of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions ever recorded.

The explosion overturned cars and stripped steel-framed buildings of their cladding. Within the port area, the explosion destroyed a section of shoreline and left a blast crater roughly 124 m (407 ft) in diameter and 43 m (141 ft) in depth. Homes as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) away were damaged by the blast.

319 sailors on the Grouse were killed, at least half of them instantly, with only 11 survivors. The Beresi suffered 120 dead, with 140 other sailors aboard sustaining injuries. Both ships suffered extensive and compromising damage, and each ship sank and rested on the shallow harbor floor within 15 minutes. Because the crew of warships follow curfews as instated by their navies, most of the sailors were on board their respective vessels at the time of the blast, either in their barracks, mess halls, other recreational areas, or points of duty. The congregation of sailors in confined spaces meant the death toll was greatly increased. The Albarinean frigate AASC Cossland, docked next to the Grouse on the opposite side of the blast, also suffered severe damage and began to list. 49 Albarinean sailors were killed. On the opposite side of the Beresi, the Emmirian destroyer ENVS Baasim was heavily damaged and suffered 23 sailors killed. Several other Zamastanian navy ships were present in the harbor and suffered damage, including the Granet, Jackson, and Loan, and dozens of their crew members suffered injuries including burns and shrapnel punctures. The SCB vessel SCBN Lett was damaged extensively, suffering 60 killed. Another ship, the SCBN Hya, had its bridge face torn off by the pressure of the blast, and 19 of its sailors were killed.

Within the base, many structures including sailor barracks, munitions stores, and other buildings either collapsed or suffered extensive damage. 398 people who were within the base's perimeter (not on vessels) were killed in the blast, either as a direct result of exposure to the blast or from collapsed debris. Beresa-Hett International Airport, the city's main airport, about 10 km (6 mi) from the site of the blast, sustained moderate damage to the terminal buildings during the explosion. Doors and windows were destroyed, and ceiling tiles were shaken loose by the shockwave, severing electrical wires. Despite the damage, flights continued.

The Saint Croix and Bens government placed total deaths at 988.

Initial airstrikes and declaration of war

A Quetanan airstrike hits a Terehanian anti-air system in Jataran.

In the wake of the bombing, Asaad al-Shaad initially denied responsibility, claiming it was an inside job or false flag operation by the SCB government. However, evidence made public by the Zamastanian Intelligence Service and Albarine Intelligence Agency proved beyond doubt that Terehan was responsible. WEDA leaders called for a swift response, unilaterally invoking the Alabaster Treaty's article 5 which assures mutual defense between member states. In the Caspiaan capital of Viitaniemi, WEDA heads agreed to conduct substantial but confined military strikes against Terehanian air defenses and weapons manufacturing sites. On October 9th, the first wave of airstrikes began striking military positions throughout Terehan, carrying out a massive coordinated airstrike campaign against the capital of Casaat, the port cities of Catahle and Jataran, as well as facilities in Olharat. Secretary of Defense Easton Granholm named the campaign "Operation Advocate". Symbolically, SCB bombers were the first to strike, in retaliation for the attack on their nation.

Amid the bombing campaign, al-Shaad mobilized his military and admitted responsibility for the Beresa attack, saying "yes, we ordered the attack on Beresa, because those ships would have begun to attack us regardless of whether we struck them. WEDA has painted us as aggressors and would have killed us today had we not struck a deadly blow. Today, our nation is under invasion, but we will destroy invaders. Our forces are still in control and are fighting valiantly against the invaders," al-Shaad said. "If one WEDA boot of theirs touches the ground, they will be turned to blood. Our citizens, who have been slaughtered in these bombing raids, will survive and fight their attempts of occupation. I will not succumb to ridiculous aversions of theirs to step down, I am this country's hope and future. They will have to kill me to remove me, and they won't get a foot near Casaat, Jataran, Catahle, and our great cities. We will devastate them. They will perish on the rocks of our shores before they step on our sacred fields. Then when we drive them back, we will see their own cities in ruins. Tofino will be ash. Vongane will be rubble. Beresa will be a smoldering crater. Men of Terehan, take our country into your hands and defend it."

Smoke rises over Casaat on October 9th during WEDA airstrikes.

By October 13th, WEDA had established an effective no-fly zone over Terehan, and its officials claimed that the Terehanian air force had been near completely destroyed along with the majority of the country's air defense systems. Continued strikes were being flown on hourly occurances from airbases in SCB, Vorrica, and Cyruda, as well as from the Zamastanian carrier groups led by the Dubois, Aebutius, Levasseur, and the Quetanan Nicolau Silvestre. On October 15th, Congressional Hall approved a declaration of war against Terehan, which was signed by President Sabine Armitage. The vote was 192-113 along ideological lines, but passed with support of moderate Liberal bloc members. The declaration read: "that the state of war between Zamastan and the Islamic Emirate of Terehan is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Islamic Emirate of Terehan; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all the resources of the country are hereby pledged by Congressional Hall of the Republic of Zamastan."

Shortly after Zamastan's resolution to declare war, many other WEDA members did the same. Vorrica was the first, with Chancellor Danio Beretta signaling that Vorrican forces would be involved in the upcoming campaign, stating "as a recent but committed member state of WEDA, we are prepared to insert our forces into this righteous conflict. Terehan's horrific regime must be removed from their bundles of power and the threats they persist must be overthrown." Kalea's parliament voted in favor of war 189-68, and Kalea committed 5,000 troops to the impending conflict. Caspiaa's declaration for war passed 397-22, the widest margin for a WEDA member state.

On October 17th, Terehan fired a series of missiles into Vorrica, hitting the cities of Viceria and Argyttos, killing 61 people. Several missiles fired towards the WEDA fleets off the Terehanian coast were shot down, though at least one vessel, the ZMS Amaury, suffered damage when a projectile hit its portside hull. Following the missile attacks, WEDA authorities decided to move up the date of the proposed amphibious invasion due to what they believed was a mounting threat of possible Terehanian counter-strikes from unknown missile locations which could not be destroyed in air campaigns.

Invasion

Zamastanian and Caspiaan forces land near Port Gazi on October 19th.

The amphibious assault began on the morning of October 19th, with more than 120,000 troops storming 34 beach heads throughout the coastal regions of the Terehanian peninsula. It was the largest WEDA coalition gathered for specific military engagement in the alliance's history. Participating nations in the invasion were Zamastan, Caspiaa, Quetana, Emmiria, and Albarine, joined in smaller but significant personnel roles by Saint Croix and Bens, Qolaysia, Janapa, Vitosium, Kalea, Vorrica, Cyruda, Sulifa, Rio Palito, Saint Lorrain, Saint Astaba and Beck, and East Chanchajilla.

The first forces on the ground were Albarinean and Zamastanian forces near Jataran. WEDA forces met up with rebel networks within Jataran's outer districts, who for the past week had been attempting to soften regime defenses along prospective landing sites. Facing stiff resistance, landing forces battled for hours to reach the city center in a rapid offensive, but branching out to seize the whole city proved difficult. Terehan's mandatory military conscription initiated a strict martial law throughout the country, and mobilised nearly 200,000 recruits. WEDA military officials in Jataran said much of the resistance, however intense it may have been, was from unexperienced soldiers rushed into conscription.

Violent defender resistance was not a universal welcome for WEDA forces, as many task groups entered Terehan without issue. Port Gazi, an important seaside city just south of Jataran, was a major landing site for WEDA forces and was being used as a staging ground. Effective beachheads were made at other cities throughout the coastal regions, including the northeast city of Sourt, and most importantly the major eastern port city of Catahle, whose governor defected from the regime and allied his security forces with WEDA. It was in Catahle where an attempted uprising against President Asaad al-Shaad occurred the day of the Beresa Port bombing, and the CCA's human rights watch reported that more than 7000 people, mostly civilians, were massacred by government forces.

A major goal of the task force, specifically the ones in the southwest, was securing a nuclear facility believed by the CCA to be a site for developing and testing nuclear weapons. Caspiaan forces landed Nisseaur, where they were tasked with capturing Be-Abir power plant, which was known to be a development site for al-Shaad's program. SCB forces landed at Barisha, where the beachhead of a chemical waste storage facility connected to Be-Abir's transit network was strung with mines, making the landing itself quite difficult.

Soldiers of the Zamastanian Army's 8th division fighting on a rooftop in Jataran.

By October 22nd, Jataran had been captured and Tjarin province had effectively fallen under WEDA control. Additionally, the provincial governor and commander of defending forces there, Asad Fayyaad Saah, was captured in Jataran and was transferred to a secure holding facility. Fierce resistance still remained throughout the southern highland region of Tjarin, as defending Terehanian forces were trying to prevent a combined WEDA assault into Casyta province, which houses the capital of Casaat. Terehanian leader Asaad al-Shaad's speeches attempting to rally Casaat's populace into defense were being broadcast across radio networks within the country, which WEDA cyber-defense agencies were able to block for the most part.

The Department of Defense released a list of Zamastanian casualties from the first three days of the operation, stating that 80 servicemen had been killed and at least 300 injured. Most of those killed in action were participating in the campaign to capture Jataran. President Sabine Armitage said in response to Jataran's capture "the faithful and brave sacrifice of our men and women in Terehan will never be forgotten. Their mission was completed with the ultimate payment of duty, and we will forever honor them. This is the fight for the safety of our nation and our allies in Adula and across the world. While this fight is not yet done, their brave service affirms that it soon will be."

Before the invasion, many observers had expected a longer campaign of aerial bombing before any ground action. In practice, WEDA plans envisioned simultaneous air and ground assaults to incapacitate the Terehanian forces quickly which resulted in the shock and awe military campaign attempting to bypass Terehanian military units and cities in most cases. The assumption was that superior mobility and coordination of Coalition forces would allow them to attack the heart of the Terehan command structure and destroy it in a short time, and that this would minimize civilian deaths and damage to infrastructure. It was expected that the elimination of the leadership would lead to the collapse of the Terehan Forces and the government, and that much of the population would support the invaders once the government had been weakened. Occupation of cities and attacks on peripheral military units were viewed as undesirable distractions.

However, following Tiqal and Shariati's decision to deny any official use of their territories, the Coalition was forced to modify the planned simultaneous attack from the east, west, and north by amphibious assaults. Special Operations forces from the Zamastanian Army and ZIS managed to build and lead the Terehanian resistance into an effective force and assault for the North. The primary bases for the invasion were in Vorrica and Cyruda. One result of this was that one of the divisions intended for the invasion was forced to relocate and was unable to take part in the invasion until well into the assault. Many observers felt that the Coalition devoted sufficient numbers of troops to the invasion, but too many were withdrawn after it ended, and that the failure to occupy cities put them at a major disadvantage in achieving security and order throughout the country when local support failed to meet expectations.