Second Syraranto Civil War

Second Syraranto Civil War
Clockwise from top-left; B.N.G. fighters attacking Syraranto government forces, fighters aligned with the Syraranto government overlook the city of Urikiban, a bomb explodes in the city of Gurikans, rebel fighters in the city of Tirikan.
Date July 30th, 2020 - present Location Syraranto
Belligerents
Government Supporters Syraranto Government People's Republic of Yuan	Separatist Supporters Balgita Nationalist Forces Drambenburg	Coalition Forces Coalition of Crown Albatross Zamastan Caspia Rio Palito
Commanders and leaders
President Kyriakos Tasoulas President Xi Jingyi	Stamatis Bureas Nektarios Zannoglou Veniamin Contou Yannis Kormoulis	Katherine von Wettin Foley Sakzi Adrian Lindholm Émile Flach
Casualties and losses
183 killed 2,330 wounded	900 killed 10,000 wounded	3 killed 17 wounded
5,000+ civilians killed 20,000+ civilians wounded

The Syraranto Civil War, more commonly referred to as the Second Syraranto Civil War due to its consideration as a successor to the First Syraranto Civil War of 1956-59, is an ongoing multi-sided civil war in Syraranto fought between the Federal Government forces led by President Kyriakos Tasoulas, along with domestic and foreign allies, and various domestic and foreign forces opposing both the Syraranto government and each other in varying combinations such as the Balgita Nationalist Forces.

The unrest in Syraranto began largely with the 2016 Syraranto Revolution protests, which grew out of discontent with the Syraranto government's growing suppression of civil liberties such as the right to gather in protest. Following the election of President Tasoulas in 2017, unrest began to grow in Western Syraranto as many separatist movements began to grow, demanding autonomy from the federal government. On July 29th, 2020, the Balgita Nationalist Forces rebel group detonated a bomb in front of the Syraranto Parliament in Covijo, killing 23 people and injuring dozens more. An intensive investigation with international intelligence aid from the Zamastanian Intelligence Service determined that the B.N.F. had committed the attack in an attempt to kill President Tasoulas, who was unharmed in the attack. Six days later, the President launched a military offensive against "terror organizations and rebel insurgents" in Western Syraranto, effectively escalating to an armed conflict after protests calling for Tasoulas' removal were violently suppressed.

On August 5th, 2020, President Xi Jingyi of Yuan pledged military support to Tasoulas, and dispatched a contingent of the Yuaneze Navy to the Sotoa Sea. On August 7th, the Syraranto military began seiging the city of Tirikan, launching a carpet-bombing campaign largely indiscriminately against the city's inhabitants. Zamastan, Caspia, and Rio Palito among other nations heavily sanctioned the Syraranto government as perceptions of an ethnic cleansing against the Gurriana people in the Western part of the country began to unfold. Drambenburg sent relief packages to the city via airdrops.

International organizations in the Coalition of Crown Albatross have criticized virtually all sides involved, including the Syraranto government, the B.N.G., opposition rebel groups, Yuan, and Drambenburg of severe human rights violations and massacres. The conflict has caused a major refugee crisis. Over the course of the conflict, a number of peace initiatives have been launched, but fighting has continued.

Background

Civil Unrest

The Socialist Kyriakos Tasoulas government came to power in 2015 through a emergency parliamentary election following the resignation of Mirakulo Eradon's government after a corruption scandal. The unrest in Syraranto continued largely with the 2016 Syraranto Revolution protests, which grew out of discontent with the Eradon government's growing suppression of civil liberties such as the right to gather in protest. Tasoulas' government remained the dominant political authority in what had been a one-party state until the first multi-party election to the People's Council of Syraranto was held in 2017. On 31 January 2017, Tasoulas implemented a new constitution, which led to a national crisis. Unlike previous constitutions, this one did not require that the president of Syraranto be a Syraranto national, leading to fierce demonstrations in Covijo, Tirikan, Uuanain, and Jyiranua organized by the Balgita Nationalist Forces.

Restrictions against the Gurriana

In response to these protests, Tasoulas implemented many strict rules against the Gurriana ethnic and religious group, which exists largely in the Western region of Syraranto and is the general makeup of the B.N.F., which Tasoulas declared a terrorist organization. The Gurriana were stripped of their right to work in government positions and their religious gatherings were largely suspended with the reason given being "houses of worship being used as areas to build dissent and anti-government coup planning."

A growing separatist and independence movement began to grow in Syraranto, especially in the West along the border with Achijan and Constantio. While militia groups did form in communities in the west, there were never instances of unprovoked violence between government and militia forces from January 2017 to July 2020. The B.N.F. became a heavily armed group, which restricted Tasoulas' government from operating in large oversight in the west, effectively creating a de-facto government under the B.N.F. and a largely Gurriana council.