Siege at Ospeletto

Siege at Ospeletto
Part of of the Mariranan Insurgency
File:OspelettoBattle1.jpg Marines fighting their way towards trapped Army Rangers deep in cartel-controlled territory - August 9th, 2018
Date 8 August - 9 August 2018 Location Ospeletto, Marirana Result Asterian retreat from cartel-controlled territory Staggering cartel losses Dozens of civilians - many children - killed in the crossfire
Belligerents
Federation	Ospeletto Cartel
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Avery Stephen Fitzpatrick	TBD
Strength
21 Army Rangers 85 Marines 4 M1A1 Rhino Tanks 7 IFVs	400-500 fighters
Casualties and losses
11 Army Rangers killed 8 Army Rangers wounded 8 Marines killed 12 Marines wounded 1 M1A1 Tank Damaged 2 IFVs Damaged	Est. 300-400 fighters killed/wounded
Civilian casualties42 killed (19 children) 31 wounded (23 children)

The Siege of Ospeletto was a large-scale military engagement that took place in the southeastern district of Ospeletto, which was under the suffocating hold of the Ospeletto Cartel and incredibly-hostile to JDF forces. The battle was the result of a botched military operation being carried out by the Federation's Federal Army Rangers. It embroiled into a much-larger engagement as cartel "Sicarios" and local fighters amassed and assaulted the Rangers with overwhelming numbers while they took cover inside an occupied school-- much to their surprise.

It took the Federal Marines advancing up the "Devil's Corridor" to eventually puncture the cartel's encirclement and allow the Rangers - alive and dead - to evacuate. The Rangers and Marines traveled back down the Devil's Corridor while President Avery approved the first use of missiles on targets in urban areas since the accidental airstrike on an apartment complex in 2017 killed dozens. A wing of Asterian M-28 Raptor fighters delivered their payloads cartel positions around the school-- striking a number of buildings that very well could've had civilians inside. However, the President's decision to allow the airstrike resulted in the cartel losing a staggering amount of fighters, making their numbers too thin to pursue to Asterian troops.