Insurgency in M'biruna

Insurgency in M'biruna
Part of the M'biruna Civil War
Daoan Peacekeepers conversing with surrendering rebels.
Date 12 April 2007 - 19 December 2007 Location M'biruna Result MPFM Victory Disarmament of major rebel groups Internal M'birunan borders stabilized Nkomo Accords partially implemented Continued ethnic tensions between M'birunans and Agysimbans
Factions
M'biruna Agysimba MPFF Daobac Kaojiang ICS	M'birunan Militias CCU Ingubu Militia KP Amaveni Militia Agysimban Rebels Agysimban Rebel 1 Agysimban Rebel 2 Agysimban Rebel 3 Covert support M'birunan Military
Commanders and leaders
Commander A Commander B Commander C Commander D	Commander A Commander B Commander D Commander E Commander F
Strength
- 3,100 Troops - TBD Troops - TBD Troops	Approx 7,000 Insurgents in total
Casualties and losses
Daoan Casualties 140 Killed 335 Wounded	All Rebel Casualties Est 490 Killed 50 - 200 Captured Unknown number wounded
Approximately XXX civilians killed

The Insurgency in M'biruna, also known as the M'birunan Insurgency, was an eight month long armed insurgency that began on April 2007 in M'biruna, almost immediately after the signing and ratification of the Nkomo Accords. The conflict was fought largely by the Ingubu aligned Cha Cha Ungalakothi (CCU) Militia alongside its allies, against the Multinational Peacekeeping Force M'biruna, the latter being an international peacekeeping and humanitarian taskforce that was deployed to M'biruna as part of the peace process of the M'birunan Civil War. The insurgency was the direct result of the the provisions of the Nkomo Accords, a peace treaty that was signed by the government of M'biruna and the separatist Agysimban rebels. The rootcause of the insurgency included disagreements among both M'birunan and Agysimban militias on the various provisions of the Nkomo Peace accords. Two of the most commonly rejected provisions include the disarmament of all militia and rebel groups that were not recognized in the accords as well as the reorganization of M'biruna's administrative division.

The insurgency began as a series of non-violent raids conducted by the CCU against MPFM civilian aid convoys & workers, stealing food, water and medical supplies with no fatalities. This however gradually escalated into a series of skirmishes as the MPFM increased the number of military personnel, with the insurgency culminating in the Battle of Mtshelelele, an intense three day urban battle between CCU militias and MPFM military forces. The battle is often considered as a turning point of the insurgency as the CCU, suffering heavy losses to its manpower during the battle, found itself unable to sustain a prolonged armed resistance against the MPFM. An investigation by the MPFM also discovered that elements within M'biruna's military leadership also provided covert support to the CCU. Using this as leverage the MPFM was able to force these sympathetic elements within M'biruna's military to persuade the CCU to end its resistance and comply with the Nkomo Accords in full. Further resistance by the CCU and other dissident militias ended by December 2007 and the disarmament and demobilization of all militias were completed by July 2008.

Background

The signing and ratification of the Nkomo Accords by the govenrment of M'biruna and the Agysimban separatist movement is widely considered as the catalyst of the insurgency. Many rebel factions, especially the CCU, vehemently objected to the disarmament and administrative reorganization provisions of the accords. They saw these provisions as a betrayal to what they had fought for throughout the civil war.

Factions

Multinational Peacekeeping Force M'biruna

See also: Multinational Peacekeeping Force M'biruna

The Multinational Peacekeeping Force M'biruna (MPFM) was a multinational peacekeeping and humanitarian taskforce organized and led by Daobac at the request of its ally Pulau Keramat as part of the peace process of the M'birunan Civil War. The MPFM was charged in ensuring that all belligerents of the conflict observed all relevant ceasefire agreements and to distribute humanitarian aid throughout M'biruna. Countries that participated and contributed personnel for the MPFM included Kaojiang, Onekawa-Nukanoa, Pulacan, XXX and XXX. The MPFM was comprised of both military and civilian personnel, each tasked with different responsibilities throughout their deployment. Participating nations were permitted to send solely military or civilian personnel, though greater emphasis was placed upon the recruitment of civilian aid workers. The first wave of MPNF personnel was first deployed on 10 March 2006 and reached a peak of XX,XXX personnel in 2008, until it finally ended on 30 December 2009 when its last personnel left M'biruna. The MPNF helped reduce violence throughout the M'biruna and prevented the civil war from being reignited by rogue military units, rebel groups and militias. While the MPFM were able to enforce the main provisions of the Nkomo Accords such as complete disarmament and demobilization of unsanctioned militias and the stabilization of M'biruna's internal borders, tensions between the M'birunan and Agysimban ethnic groups continue to persist long after the MPFM has left the country.

Timeline

Initial Skirmishes

From April to June 2007 the CCU and its allies initiated small scale and largely non-violent raids and ambushes against MPFM aid convoys and humanitarian project sites. The CCU would initmidate aid workers into submission, steal supplies from the convoy or project sites and retreat into the wilderness to escape. Food, water and medical supplies were the primary target of these attacks, though at times the rebels would also confiscate various equipment such as the convoy truck itself and various construction equipment used by aid workers who were in the process of rebuilding public infrastructure. These initial raids resulted in no fatalities though it did prompt a response from the MPFM. Aid workers from Daobac, Onekawa-Nukanoa, Kembesa and Pulacan were among the various countries whose civilian aid workers were victims of the attacks. These attacks and raids were largely conducted against humanitarian convoys enroute to distribute aid and supplies to Agysimban territories, in hopes of preventing aid from reaching Agysimban controlled areas. In response to these attacks against humanitarian aid convoys & project sites, the MPFM deployed more military personnel to provide protection for its civilian aid workers. As a result, the first recorded fatality of a CCU militia occurred on 20 May 2007 when a group of CCU militias ambushed and opened fire on a Pulacan-led aid convoy. An aid worker was shot by a ricochet from the militia and, in accordance with the established rules of engagement, MPFM military escorts returned fire which resulted in the deaths of half a dozen militia members. Other minor skirmishes continued throughout May and June of the same year, with militia and MPFM forces engaged in minor skirmishes against one and another. The first recorded MPFM military and civilian casualties occurred in skirmishes on 24 May 2007 and 26 May 2007 respectively. After these casualties the MPFM invited CCU leaders to the negotiating table in the hopes that the CCU would agree to some form of disarmament.

Escalation

By the end of June continued CCU attacks and mounting casualties on both sides resulted in the failure of any possible peace negotiations with the CCU. The CCU intensified the number of attacks and raids against MPFM personnel, as well demanded, publicly, the immediate withdrawal of all MPFM forces from M'biruna, declaring the MPFM as an illegal occupation force. In response to this escalation the MPFM launched simultaneous raids against CCU rebel camps that were identified as those responsible for the increased attacks. Throughout the insurgency the CCU maintained a rudimentary but effective bush telegraph and radio network, allowing CCU commanders to organize and relay information to one another effectively. They also utilized a network of civilian informants throughout the country to pass along information and observation about the MPFM's troop movements, deployments and the sorts. Most notably however was that some elements within the M'biruna's military leadership were sympathetic to the CCU's plight. They supplied the CCU with information such as disarmament schedules and other agreements the M'birunan government had made with the MPFM. On the other hand, the MPFM requisitioned more assets to help suppress the ever growing number of insurgent attacks against them. Armored fighting vehicles became a necessity alongside helicopters to provide air mobility and close air support. The insurgency was also saw widespread use of drones that were used to great effect for both aerial surveillance and close air support missions. As the insurgency escalated all humanitarian aid projects by civilian MPFM personnel were temporarily halted and all civilian personnel were confined to the perimeters of MPFM bases and cities that were considered safe zones.

Battle of Mtshelelele

See also: Battle of Mtshelelele

In late August however the M'birunan military informed the CCU that the M'birunan government intended to handover administrative control of the city of Mtshelelele to Agysimban hands. The CCU saw this as an unacceptable concession as in their view, Ingubu troops had fought and died for control over Mtshelelele. The thought of the government willingly hand over control of the hard fought for city to the Agysimbans served as the final rallying call for the disparate CCU cells to unite under one cause. Over the next two weeks the CCU gradually built up their forces in preparation to take the city and oust the defending MPFM forces. CCU rebels also infiltrated the city, disguising themselves as unarmed civilians or surrendering rebels, observing and relaying information about the city's defenses, troop movements/deployments and potential areas for ambushes. Some of these infiltrators also resided in the city to get ready for the day when the signal for the general attack to begin. For their part the MPFM detected a noticeable increase in rebel activity and movement throughout the country, though they could not identify nor pin point where or what the rebels were heading towards to. In response the MPFM issued an advisory to all of its bases to increase security patrols and strengthen their defenses in preparation for a possible rebel attack. In Mtshelelele, security checkpoints were increased throughout the city's main entry points and visitors were searched prior to entry. The city also hosted a weapons collection zone for the disarmament process where rebels would surrender their weapons and armaments, which was due to be closed in the day after the CCU's attack. On the 19th of September CCU rebels, disguised as surrendering rebels at the weapons collection zone, attacked MPFM personnel and other rebel forces. Simultaneously, CCU forces who had infiltrated Mtshelelele itself detonated improvised explosive devices they had planted throughout the city, killing both MPFM military personnel and civilians and Snipers targeted MPFM commanders. While the CCU was able to catch the MPFM offguard and initially had the upper hand, they expected the MPFM to retreat from the city after the initial strike and were not prepared for a prolonged engagement. The battle eventually morphed into a three day intense standoff resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. The MPFM, though had a smaller number of personnel, was able to successfully turn the tide due to effective command and control procedures and systems, utilizing drones for surveillance and providing close air support for pinned down MPFM platoons. MPFM reinforcements also arrived in a timely mannner, providing much needed manpower support for the battered defenders. By the third day the CCU's lines had been broken and their staging areas decimated, eliminating a majority of the CCU's commanders and manpower involved in the battle. CCU forces eventually retreated, with many stragglers taken as prisoner by the MPFM.

End of the Insurgency

In the weeks and months after the battle there was a significant reduction in CCU attacks and raids against the MPFM. Military analysts speculate that the CCU suffered heavy losses during the Battle of Mtshelelele to the point they could no longer sustain a prolonged armed insurgency against an organized opposition force. In the days immediately after the battle an official investigation was launched by the MPFM to determine how and why the CCU choose to attack Mtshelelele. Investigators interrogated CCU prisoners who were captured after the end of the battle, the investigators were particularly interested in the information that captured CCU commanders might divulge. Other evidence that would be used to corroborate any intelligence obtained from the interrogations included hardcopy and softopy documents of files obtained from the captured CCU fighters and bases. After a lengthy investigation the investigators were able to determine that some leadership elements within the M'birunan military purposefully leaked information about the transfer of Mtshelelele's administrative control which served as the CCU's primary motivation for intistigating the battle. With this information the MPFM confronted M'biruna's military leadership who supported the CCU's actions. While they initially denied their involvement and refused to order the CCU to disarm, the MPFM tacitly implied that failure to do so will result in the MPFM supplying the Agysimban rebels instead with better equipment and publically announce that it was the M'birunan military officially disavows the CCU. Unwilling to find the Ingubu forces at a disadvantage against the Agysimbans, the sympathetic military leaders ordered the CCU to fully comply with the Nkomo Accords. On November 2007 the disarmament of the CCU began and was completed by April 2008.