2022 Sifondo embassy attacks

2022 Sifondo embassy attacks
Part of Biulundo conflict
Zamastanian Army soldiers maintain overwatch of the embassy attacks.
Date January 2-3, 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
300 troops 107 troops 200 troops 1,000 troops	4,000–6,000
Casualties and losses
1 soldier killed 8 soldiers, 16 staffers injured 33 staffers injured 4 soldiers killed 12 soldiers killed 143 soldiers injured	892 killed

The 2022 Sifondo embassy attacks occurred on January 2-3, 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. Multiple people, including a Zamastanian and 4 Seran marines, were killed in the attack. In reaction to the attacks, most international governments began withdrawing their diplomatic staff. Two weeks after the attack, President Ngotsha was ousted in a coup led by supporters of Prime Minister Michel Lukonde. The ongoing civil war intensified, and on January 23rd the government of Unified Sera declared war against both Lukonde and the LDF.

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 2022 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.

Attacks

Zamastanian embassy

At 07:21 AM local time, a mob of roughly 800 LDF militia and supporters, most of whom were armed with batons, sticks, or metal rods, but roughly a hundred with firearms including rifles, descended on the Zamastanian embassy in the neighborhood of Katyab. According to the Tofino Times, Apatonian security forces did not attempt to stop the mob and permitted them to pass a security checkpoint. The mob began taunting the security personnel of the embassy reception area's front gatehouse checkpoint near the embassy's parking lot and chanting "down, down Zamastan", "Death to Zamastan", "Death to Moreau", and "Death to Ngotsha". They scaled and threw stones and water bottles over the walls and attacked gates, windows, and doors with makeshift rams. Dozens of the demonstrators then smashed through a main door of the checkpoint, set fire to the reception area, raised LDF militia flags and anti-Zamastanian posters and sprayed anti-Zamastanian graffiti. Video of the demonstration reportedly also showed militiamen ransacking the reception area and taking away paperwork. Security staff withdrew to the embassy and began barricading the doors and windows in order to protect diplomatic staffers and Ambassador Chance Haley.

Around 07:50, the first alerts went out to CCA Peacekeeping and Zamastanian Army operations at Azikiwe International Airport, and teams began dispatching to provide reinforcements. By this time, President Atticus Moreau had been made aware of the ongoing riot at the embassy by Secretary of State Jessiah Vallotis, and ordered troops to depart for the embassy. A fire broke out at the embassy after rioters began hurling makeshift fire cocktails and overturned diplomatic cars. At least half a dozen Zamastan Marine Security Guardsmen and Diplomatic Security Service personnel on the roof of the main embassy building with their guns trained on the intruders, many of whom were wearing militia uniforms. At one point, an armed wing of the intruders began opening fire on the embassy, wounding staffers who were attempting to barricade the walls. The security personel fired back, killing many of the armed militia fighers. The intruders subsequently stopped in a corridor after about 5 meters (16 feet), and were about 50 meters away from the main embassy building. There were also reports of tear gas being deployed to disperse the intruders as at least three protesters appeared to have difficulties breathing. The mob also set fire to three trailers used by security guards along the embassy compound's wall. Reportedly, a man on a loudspeaker urged the mob not to enter the compound, saying: "The message was delivered."

After the news of the embassy compound's perimeter breach, Defense Secretary Camille Boffrand stated that reinforcements were en route to the compound and urged the Apatonian government to "fulfill its international responsibilities" and protect the facility. About three hours after the violence first erupted, 30 Apatonian soldiers in seven armored vehicles arrived and deployed near the embassy walls but not near the burning, breached checkpoint. Reportedly, four vehicles carrying riot police later approached the embassy but were forced back by the protesters who blocked their path. Zamastanian and CCA forces en route to the embassy from the airport were delayed due to complex and previously unrecognized roadblocks set up by protestors throughout the city. Because of the delay, commanders at the airport decided to send additional reinforcements with 2 UH-60B Vultures, which arrived at the embassy around 8:45 AM and deployed 20 troops from the helicopter's ziplines.

By 11:53 AM, Zamastanian reinforcements arrived and engaged armed insurgents who fired at them upon their arrival. One Zamastanian serviceman, Sergeant Jaydon Bell, was killed in the shootout. Once the soldiers warded off one of the sides of the complex and entered the embassy, the mob largely began to retreat and some protesters had set up tents outside the embassy in an attempted sit-in. In all, sixteen staffers and six soldiers at the embassy were injured, and one Zamastanian soldier had been killed. Estimates of the number killed among insurgents and rioters were around 85.

Caspiaan embassy

At approximately 7:50 AM, hundreds of rioters broke past Apatonian security and jumped the embassy gates, hurling rocks and broken objects at Caspiaan embassy security and staff. At one point in the assault, a group of armed militiaman opened fire at the embassy, injuring several staffers who were trying to work their way into a safer position. Caspiaan soldiers returned fire, killing dozens of militiamen. Soon, the crowds dispersed, focusing attention on the nearby Zamastanian embassy which had begun taking the brunt of the mob's attack. Foreign Minister Mathias Ronning stated that 33 embassy staffers sustained injuries ranging from moderate to severe in the attack.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs began coordinating rescue efforts for Caspiaans in Apatonia, and stated that the government and military will help evacuate any Caspiaan citizens who wants to return to Caspiaa or allied neighboring countries.

"Today's attack shows the true disaster unfolding in Apatonia," Prime Minister Tullia Grönberg stated shortly after the attack, "and while we stand with our allies in the region, we cannot endorse any factions in this unfolding conflict. The government of President Ngotsha has expressed a disinterest in helping defend their allies defending them, and Prime Minister Lukonde is doing the same. The functions of stability have all but collapsed. We will bring our countrymen and women home and defend our interests in Southern Adula."

CCA Headquarters

A small group of insurgents attacked the CCA Humanitarian Mission Headquarters near the Caspiaan embassy, denotating a car bomb and causing substantial damage to the main gate. 5 CCA staffers were injured in the blast, but none were killed.