2015 Nos Callis Terrorist Attacks
| 2015 Nos Callis Terrorist Attack | |
|---|---|
| File:Velly Mall on fire.jpeg Smoke from the Velly Mall after the initial attack on 24 April | |
| Location | Nos Callis, Belfras |
| Date | 24 April 2015 - 27 April 2015 |
| Target | Population areas, Military patrols, targets of opportunity |
Attack type | Mass murder; suicide attack; terrorism |
| Deaths | 5,425 |
Non-fatal injuries | Approximately 10,000 |
| Perpetrators | Soldiers of Romula |
The 2015 Nos Callis Terrorist Attack (often referred to as The Battle of Nos Callis) was a pro-longed, four-day battle through the streets of Nos Callis following a deadly wave of suicide bombing that initially claimed 400 lives.
On the morning of Friday, 24 April 2015, eight members of the Soldiers of Romula detonated seven bombs—five in quick succession in several densely packed locations and, later, two in locations being used to house wounded civilians. Following the initial attack, twenty individuals emerged into the affected areas and began opening fire on fleeing and injured civilians and only stopped when killed by arriving officers of the Nos Callis Police Department.
The attacks continued throughout the weekend as military units from the Belfrasian Army were deployed to the city and a state of emergency was declared. Nearly 450 members of the Soldiers of Romula died along with 5,425 civilians and over 10,000 more were injured in the worst terror attack in Belfrasian history and one of the worst on record.
Background
Soldiers of Romula
The Soldiers of Romula, an organization believed to trace back to the early 1900s, have vowed to fight the Belfrasian government and had previously conducted terrorist attacks against the nation.
In January 2015, the Royal Investigation Ministry led an operation across Callis, arresting 85 members of the Soldiers of Romula following a 10-year investigation. The Soldiers of Romula retaliated three weeks later when they hijacked a ferry on the Fanwerth River and sank it shortly after authorities made an attempt to secure the vessel, leaving 20 dead.
Motives
The Soldiers Of Romula have repeatedly claimed that the true rulership of Callis belonged solely to the Papal Republic, stating that it was gods will.
Planning of the attacks
Starting from as early as November 2014, the Sons Of Romula had been choosing a series of targets both within and around Nos Callis. Several sights were initially meant to be attacked, but a lack of population at them when the attacks came caused the leadership to abort those bombings. Sights such as the war memorial and the imperial war museum were among selected targets.
In 2008 the Sons Of Romula had possession of a large number of explosive devices stolen from a nearby quarry, but chose to sell off three quarters of the devices either overseas or back to mining companies.
Attacks
The attacks committed by the Sons Of Romula were carried out over a period of four days, leaving a large amount of destruction and sorrow in their wake.
24 April
At 09:30AM seven bombs were detonated within ten seconds of eachother
- The first was detonated at a metro underground station shortly after the East-line train arrived. The bomber, Frank Gordon, waited until the train was half-way through off-loading and on-loading passengers before detonating his backpack. The pressure caused by the blast led to an almost immediate collapse of the stations roof, burying survivors alive amongst the burning wreckage of trains. It would be until the 30th that the first body would be retrieved as a result of the fighting.
- The second bomber detonated his suicide vest at an outlet for the Frankies Toy Emporium store in the Lake Industrial Estate, where families were gathering for a promotion of the childrens novel ‘’Davey the Dino's Big Adventure.’’
- The third bomb was carried by a suicide bomber into an office block, whereupon it was detonated after the individual was approached by security.
- The forth bomb was exploded inside of a **** café on East Baker Street, where Deputy Mayor Rupert Hoffman was having breakfast at the time.
- The fifth bomb detonated inside of the Velly Mall, with the bomber having run into a crowd waiting to enter the local food market.
At 11:45AM the final two bombs were detonated, one at a field hospital just outside of the Velly Mall and the other in a car park at the Lake Industrial Estate. Both blasts originated in areas occupied by survivors, leading investigators to believe that the bombers pretended to be wounded and survivors. It would be at 12:30 that the provincial governor ordered the Provincial Defence Force to mobilise.
25 April
In the morning of the 25th of April, the Belfrasian Army's **** Cavalry Division arrived from Fort ***** with the objective of securing the city and assisting in search and rescue. A convoy of military vehicles arriving into the city from the north on the I-41 was ambushed from two angles by members of the Soldiers of Romula sporting heavy machine-guns and hand-held grenade launchers.
26 April
The fighting reached its height on the 26th, with one military expert likening the battles between military and terrorists as akin to an urban war zone
27 April
Around 100 members of the Soldiers of Romula, having previously engaged in a two-day long battle with the Belfrasian Army, withdrew into the Trinity Heights Apartment Complex, triggering a ten hour siege by the Army.
Aftermath
Responsibility
Responsibility of the attack was announced by the Soldiers Of Romula both in video and Internet form. A video was found on one of the terrorists bodies after the first attack with a recording of several members of the organisation stating responsibility before murdering kidnapped student Erin Yates, who went missing five days earlier.
Investigations and Prosecutions
The Royal Investigation Ministry began it’s formal investigation into the attack on April 27, when the city was announced at secured.
It was reported that surviving and captured members of the Soldiers of Romula were transported out of the province to a classified facility for interviews and in-detail questioning in regards to the incident. This drew controversy and the accusation of torture when Oliver Cartmann, a member of the Soldiers of Romula, died in custody with wounds consistent to being tortured with a blowtorch. The Royal Investigation Ministry refused to comment on the matter, leading to a failed attempt by the family of Oliver Cartmann to sue for damages.
Investigations into the explosives utilized by the Soldiers of Romula revealed that high-grade explosives stolen from a quarry in 2008 and previously believed to have been shipped overseas by criminal elements may have been utilized in the initial attack. While presenting the evidence, the investigative team did admit that the only evidence that would've led investigators at the time to know that it was still in the country would've been circumstantial and would've not held up in a court in order to attain a search warrant.
Reactions
Domestic
Prime Minister Aaron Sentar was initially told that the attacks, which included the initial attack on members of the Army, was an invasion by by the Papal Republic shortly after making a passionate speech vowing revenge.
A disaster relief fund orientated to the welfare and housing of the affected was started, amounting almost B$23,000,000 within three days, leading to a surge of flights bringing in bought goods and temporary living accommodations.