2022 Sifondo embassy attacks

2022 Sifondo embassy attacks
Part of Biulundo conflict
Zamastanian Army soldiers maintain overwatch of the embassy attacks.
Date January 3rd, 2022 Location Sifondo, Apatonia
Belligerents
Zamastan Caspiaa Unified Sera Supported by: CCA Peacekeeping Apatonian Federal Forces	Lundia Defense Forces Al-Fijar
Commanders and leaders
Atticus Moreau Tullia Grönberg Akan Khalfani Mlamuli Ngotsha	Ali Al-Fayyadh Abu al-Muhandas
Strength
	4,000–6,000

The 2022 Sifondo embassy attacks occurred on January 3rd, 2022 in Sifondo, Apatonia when members of the Al-Fijar-affiliated LDF militia and their supporters assaulted the embassies of Zamastan, Caspiaa, and Unified Sera in the city's Local Government Areas. The attacks came amid growing political unrest between factions in the federal government of Apatonia, rebel and separatist forces, and terrorist groups. It also came two days after the attempted assassination of President Mlamuli Ngotsha.

As the attacks unfolded, contingents of the CCA Peacekeeping force, Zamastanian Army, and Seran Army deployed to protect their diplomats and embassy staff, making the trek from staging areas at Azikiwe International Airport.

Background

Since 2017, the Apatonian federal forces had been battling the Lundia Defense Forces, an insurgent group tied to al-Fijar in the easternmost province of Lundia. On September 20th, 2021, the eastern city of Biulundo fell to the LDF and the Apatonian government retreated. Two Quetanan and an Arteganan peacekeeper working with the CCA were killed during the capture of the city, and President Ngotsha called on more international support. Over the following weeks in October 2021, more than 800 additional peacekeepers, most of them Quetanan, Zamastanian, and Seran, deployed to Apatonia. On October 24th, the town of Dori was overrun by the LDF, and hundreds of civilians were killed. The province of Lundia subsequently became a defacto LDF state.

As a result of increased violence, Ngotsha clamped down hard on the insurgency, but it came with increased regulation against the civilian government and members of the government. Refugees were aggressively barred from crossing into Unified Sera from Lundia by federal forces, and media was suppressed when internet was cut off nationwide for a week in early November 2021. On November 14th, Ngotsha ammended the constitution to delay already two-year delayed elections for an additional 4 months. Angered by this, Prime Minister Michel Lukonde opposed Ngotsha, but Ngotsha removed Lukonde from his political capability under the accusation of corruption. Thus, on December 28th, army forces loyal to Lukonde marched into Sifondo and created a standoff at the Presidential Residence, Parliament, and other government offices. Ngotsha reinstated some of Lukonde's power after outcry from the public, but on January 1st 2021 a Lukonde loyalist attempted to assassinate Ngotsha, wounding the President with a knife outside the Residence. Ngotsha survived, and urged calm across the country as tensions continued to mount.