Sans-Éclipses
| Sans-Éclipses الفائزون | |
|---|---|
 A flag used by Sans-Éclipse fighters | |
| Leader | Kamasha Abu Musa |
| Country |  Mabifia |
| Motives | Suppression of Makanian separatism |
| Active regions | Makania |
| Ideology | Irfanism Anti-Mirite violence |
| Status | active |
| Size | Unknown, estimated around 20,000 |
The Sans-Éclipses (Badawiyan: الفائزون) are a militia active in northern Mabifia, primarily the region of Makania. They are centred upon the Mourâhiline, nomadic Badawiyan cattle herders who settled in northern Mabifia during the 16th century, but also count numerous Ndjarendie and Ouloume volunteers.
The motivations of the Sans-Éclipses were originally based on grazing rights for their cattle in Makania, as the Mabifian government promised access to lands possessed by Mirite farmers killed in the struggle. However, this motivation was soon sidelined by plunder and siezure of property from Machaï landowners. Some groups have adopted other ideologies, with Irfanism being popular amongst the non-Badawiyan troupes. They are a key force in the Makanian Conflict.
Name
The name Sans-Éclipses is Gaullican, translating as "those who are not eclipsed". This is a general name which has been attributed to the diverse groups who make up the militia, derived from a televised interview with several fighters who described themselves by saying "nous sommes ceux qui sont sans éclipse, sans défaite, qui gagneront toujours contre les insectes, inchallah!" (Estmerish: We are they who are without eclipse, without defeat, who will always win against the insects, God willing!). The groups who fight under the classification of Sans-Éclipses bear different names which usually denote clan affiliations, geographic origins or desired traits.
History
While the existence of armed Mourâhiline warriors in Makania originates from pre-Toubactric Mabifia, the Sans-Éclipses group has its origins within the militias raised during the Second Mabifian Civil War. These groups were often localised, defending Mourâhiline cattle from Machaï raiders and fighting against Makanian separatists, and received support from the Karanes in return for their nominal backing.
With the end of the civil war, all armed groups were ordered to disarm. The Mourâhiline were not covered by this provision, as they were deemed to have been community defence groups without ideological motivations or political goals. When the People's Coalition for Makanian National Sovereignty refused to disarm, triggering the Makanian Conflict, the newly-established government was initially unable to combat them due to the disorganisation of the nation's armed forces. They therefore turned to the Mourâhiline, who had historical grievances with the Machaï and were already armed and combat trained, offering grazing rights and land. The Sans-Éclipses therefore formed as a broad umbrella term which encompasses multiple localised militia groups and armed gangs.
In 1981, a group of Sans-Éclipse fighters launched an attack on the village of Koudketi, which was believed to be a stronghold of the Makanian Workers' Army. Arriving at the village, they faced no resistance and a thorough search of the village found no opposition fighters. Despite this, the leader of the Sans-Éclipse militia Abu Taher Djalani ordered for every inhabitant of the village to be shot and for the village to be burned to send a message to the opposition fighters. When news of the massacre broke, the Mabifian government initially denied the atrocities and claimed that it was Makanian propaganda. However, following investigations by the Community of Nations, they were forced to admit the massacre took place and were pressured to act against the Sans-Éclipses. This created tension between the government and armed forces, who defended the actions of the Sans-Éclipses. While a condemnation was issued, this resulted in little concrete change to government policy towards the Sans-Éclipses who continued to receive material aid.
During the peace processes of the mid 1980s, support for the Sans-Éclipses was diminished as the government sought to de-escalate tensions within the region. However, following the uptick of violence that accompanied Mahmadou Jolleh-Bande's election, they became highly important again in the conflict. Their primary role was that of irregulars, doing jobs which the national military could not and spreading fear in order to disincentivise insurgency. Their actions and participation in massacres has been termed a genocide by the CN, and several key commanders are wanted for Crimes against Humanity.