2020 War in Vulkaria
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| 2020 War In Vulkaria | |||||
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| Part of Vulkaria Unrest | |||||
| File:Sangravalley.jpg A Zamastanian Special Forces helicopter flies over the Sangra Valley in Northwest Vulkaria during the Coalition operations in early 2020. | |||||
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Vulkaria
Zamastan
Legionas
Libertas Omnium Maximus
Laeral
Eiria
Shen
Xiomera
Byzconia
Arcadia Dezeber
Ruskayn Gladysynthia |
Malvarian Liberation Front | ||||
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| Casualties and losses | |||||
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as of February 27th
| 10,000+ Killed | ||||
The 2020 War in Vulkaria, also known as the 2020 Coalition Intervention in Vulkaria or the Third War in Vulkaria, is an ongoing military conflict in Northwest Vulkaria, involving a Zamastanian-led coalition of international forces fighting to destroy terrorist organizations operating in Vulkaria following the 1/2/20 Terror Attacks. The targets of the campaign are primarily Marxist fundamentalist armed groups located throughout Northwest Vulkaria, with the most prominent groups being the Malvarian Liberation Front, Vulkarian National Army, and Baro-Okan Resistance Alliance, and the various franchise groups of the former two organizations.
Vulkaria has already experienced decades of conflict prior to the coalition involvement in 2020, including the 1983-91 War and the 1999-2005 War, both of which involved Zamastanian involvement and the second of which involved a large coalition force as well. The results of the 1999-2005 War ensured the M.L.F.'s ability to maintain territory, and one of the Coaltion's goals in the 2020 involvement was to retake all the territory conceded to the terror group at the finale of the war.
Background
In May 2017, the insurgent uprising by the joint force of M.L.A. and V.N.A. rebellion occurred. The violent and fast armed insurgency was denounced by most in the IDU and Zamastan as illegal.
Anti-Vulkarian unrest in Northwest Vulkaria and south Vulkaria began when, in June 2017, Vulkarian separatists self-proclaimed the Vulkarian People's Republic and Thunia People's Republic and held referendums on 11 June 2014; the separatists claimed nearly 90% voted in favor of independence. Zamastanian intelligence confirmed much of the vote was manipulated by the Malvarian Liberation Front and Vulkarian National Army oppression. Later in July 2017, fighting between the Vulkarian army and pro-Vulkarian volunteer battalions on one side, and forces supporting the M.L.F. and V.N.A. on the other side, escalated into the Conflict in Northwest Vulkaria. By December 2017 more than 16,400 people had died in this conflict and according to IDU figures it led to over half a million people becoming internally displaced within Vulkaria and two hundred thousand refugees to flee to (mostly) Zamastan and other neighboring countries. During the same period, political (including adoption of the law on lustration and the law on decommunization) and economic reforms started.
In October of 2017, terrorists from Vulkaria attacked Zamastan and killed over 430 people, and President of Zamastan Zacharias Castovia brought a new string of coalition forces with Cadair into the nation in the form of airstrikes at the request of President Brooks. The Zamastanian and Cadairian airstrikes halted in May 2019 under orders from President Anya Bishop, though the conflict had escalated.
By the second half of 2018, independent observers noted that reforms in Vulkaria had considerably slowed down, corruption did not subside, and the economy of Vulkaria was still in a deep crisis.
2020 Terror Attacks and Coalition Involvement
By December 2019, more than 39,100 people had died (largely civilians) in the conflict, according to Zamastanian figures. The M.L.F. and V.N.A. had largely slowed their foreign terror operations since June 2019, but they had continued their insurgency and strikes within Vulkaria. On December 26th, 2019, a suicide attack killed 48 people at President Brooks' campaign rally in Amstelveen, bringing condolences and words of support from across the IDU.
On January 2nd, 2020, terrorists affiliated with the M.L.F. launched attacks on Zamastan, Legionas, Gardavasque, Libertas Omnium Maximus, Eiria and Xiomera, and several sites around Vulkaria, including the embassies of Shuell, Shen, a Byzconian school, and a Laeralian naval vessel. The attacks killed over 1,490 people world-wide, sending heads of states and governments into a coalition to help the Vulkarian government hit back the terrorist and rebel forces in Northwest Vulkaria.
On January 4th, 2020, Farhen Brooks won reelection to a third four-year term, and vowed that the Zamastanian-led Coalition, involving troops from most countries affected in the terror attacks, would stop at nothing to defeat and destroy the M.L.F. and V.N.A..
History
Coalition Buildup
Zamastanian forces reinforced the presence of troops at Upol Military Base in Vulkar, as well as several sites in key cities along the M.L.F. controlled territorial border, including Godenia and Lacarno. President Farhen Brooks authorized an additional force of 60,000 to supplement the already present 3,000 troops. Legionas also sent a large supplementary force, which focused its attention to the westernmost section of the battle-zone near the border of Zerphique, assisted by Eirian and Shuellian forces. Along with Libertas Omnium Maximus, Shen joined Zamastanian forces in the easternmost portion of the battle-zone, while the majority of Arcadia-Dezeberian and Byzconian forces assisted in the south-central zones. Xiomeran forces, operating under commission of Vulkaria's government, also focused on this zone. Ruskayn mercenaries were also sent into the battle zone to undertake contracted missions such as bunker destruction, as well as to collect bounties placed on terrorist leaders. Gladysynthia also participated in the war, providing limited reconnaissance for coalition forces.
January
- 4th - Zamastanian commandos killed Bryn Matteo, a M.L.F. commander who was responsible for much of the planning behind the 1/2/20 Attacks. The raid took place north of Lacarno.
- 6th - Xiomeran Special Forces, operating off of Zamastanian intelligence, undertook a raid north of Godenia and killed Dire Sulsi, a M.L.F. commander responsible for the attacks in Xiomera. On the same day, Coalition forces began their offensive against insurgent-held territory in the city of Freeborn, as Zamastanian, Maximusian, and Shen forces fought to capture the city. The city was captured on the 7th.
- 10th - Arcadia Dazeberian and Byzconian forces begin the assault to capture the city of Werrnia.
- 15th - 2 Zamastanian troops were killed in a roadside bombing west of Freeborn
- 16th - The Battle of Amden begins as Zamastanian forces enter the city of Amden. The Battle of Werrnia ends.
- 19th - The Battle of Masenma is fought brutally as Eirian and Shuellian forces push into the city, suffering heavy casualties.
- 24th - Amden is captured after 8 days of brutal fighting that sees 62 Zamastanian and 192 Vulkarian KIA. Public confidence in the war dips for the first time since it began.
- 25th - The 24th Mamba Company fights off an ambush of nearly 800 enemy fighters west of Amden.
February
- 5th - A Zamastanian helicopter is shot down outside Amden, killing 6 soldiers on board.
- 11th - M.L.F. claims responsibility for a bombing in Jade Harbor, Zamastan, which kills 6 and injures dozens more. President Sakzi calls for more aggressive tactics against insurgents in Vulkaria.
- 12th - Casuum is captured by Zamastanian-forces.
- 25th - Monza is captured by Zamastanian forces.
- 26th - General Avery Reynolds states "60% of the conflict zone is now under direct Coalition control...we have killed approximately 10,000 enemy combatants across all battlefields in Vulkaria in the past month and a half of fighting. We are winning in every aspect."
- 28th - M.L.F. claims responsibility for a vehicle ramming attack in Tlālacuetztla, Xiomera, that kills 10 and injures 65.
March
- 1st - Van'a Kamoni is killed in a raid by Zamastanian forces
- 5th - General Reynolds states that all essential territory has been taken from the M.L.F., only pockets of resistance remain, mostly in rural villages and undeveloped wild-lands.
- 14th - President Foley Sakzi announces the main stage of the war has been completed, with all of Northwest Vulkaria seized and M.L.F. fighters routed. Coalition forces are given until April 1st to withdraw.
Impact on Vulkarian Society
Civilian Casualties
On February 27th, 2020, Zamastanian officials released a report detailing preliminary civilian impacts from the conflict. From January 4th-February 27th (54 days), nearly 2,000 civilians had been killed.
Refugees
On February 27th, 2020, Zamastanian officials estimated a heavy increase of refugees from the conflict zones in Vulkaria, approximating to an upwards trend of anywhere from 60,000 to 200,000 refugees in 2020.
Several urban area engagements, especially notable in the Battle of Amden, saw massive swarms of refugees fleeing from city zones towards coalition lines for safety. The Amden incident alone saw 20,000 people escape to coalition lines.