Balgrevonsk Conflict
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| Balgrevonsk Conflict | |
|---|---|
| |
| Date: | October 2006-Present |
| Locations: | Balgrevonsk Province, Willink |
| Cassus Belli: | Attempted separation from Willink, Ethnic Cleansing |
| Combatants | |
| Willink |
Balgrev National Army МPA Forces |
| Strength | |
| 148,000 troops by December 2006 60,000 as of March 2007 |
10,000 Ex-Governmental Forces, 70,000 ethnic armies, militas, mercenary forces |
| Casualties | |
| Unknown, estimated 8,000 soldiers, several dozen civilians | Unknown, estimated 40,000+ killed by February 2007 upwards of 80,000 civilians |
The Balgrevonsk Conflict is an ongoing series of clashes and ethnic campaigns in the semi-separatist province of Balgrevonsk, in Northwestern Willink between Governmental forces and various ethnic armies, mercenary forces, and non-recognized separatist government security forces, beginning in early October 2006 that has left an estimated 130,000 dead.
The Conflict erupted following the boiling over of long-lasting ethnic tensions between Balgrevs, fundamentalist European Muslims, mixed Catholics, and those of Ato-Saran descent. An uprising by nationalist forces made up of Balgrevs intent on self determination in the provincial capital of Krosevelk led to clashes between various ethnic groups that prompted the intervention of the Willinkian Military to regain control of the rouge province.
Preluding the initial military campaign by Willinkian forces the province was marred by ethnic violence and widespread destruction, as BNA (Balgrev National Army) fought to retain control of the province against Muslim Liberation and Метохија forces. This was complicated moreover when BNA forces began to target those of Ato-Saran descent, whom then gained support from Ato-Saran mercenary forces.
In early November Willinkian military units assisted by anti-BNA paramilitary forces began operations against all 4 warring factions while facing determined resistance and at points offensive attacks from separatist forces. Military forces were able to seize the majority of eastern territory in two months, only to be defeated in the Seige of Krosevelk, widely considered one of the worst military blunders in the nations history.
Suffering numerous setbacks, and faced with guerrilla attacks in Willinkian controlled territory, military forces were forced to pull back their areas of operation considerably in late January 2007. The BNA, riding high off its new found victories, began practicing ethnic cleansing of both Muslims and Ato-Saran nationals, killing an estimated 20,000 in a time of two weeks in early February 2007.
Launching a new operation in mid February 2007, military forces managed to surround and destroy the majority of BNA forces in a quick, decisive operation, and finally seize the provincial capital on March 4th, 2007.
Contents
Prelude
Misleading Peace
The Balgrevonsk Conflict has ties in the long lasting ethnic tensions in northwestern Willink. The area has a traditionally rich ethnic background consisting of several dozen ethnicities, whom managed to live in a rather unrealistic harmony for over a century. Part in due to the rise of several nationalistic movements, and partially due to the blasphemous rhetoric spread by regional governor Andrija Kiril, caused a feeling of dissent for various other ethnicities, and for the nation in general.
Despite this, life in the province managed to continue rather unaltered throughout the 1990's, during which time Kiril was elected to power. Kiril, a nationalist Balgrev, promised "Unity to the Balgrev people of our region" and became a forefigure in the Balgrev self determination movement. In 1999 he was instrumental in founding of the BPNP (Balgrev People's Nationalist Party), a right wing political entity supporting self determination of the region. Lacking any real power in the central government, it thrived in the various regional localities, gaining a popular base among the some 30 million Balgrev's living in the province.
The first signs of trouble began to appear in early 2001, after which several BPNP party members were targeted by a Federal indictment under suspicion of illegal business practices. Kiril was investigated for obstruction of justice and forced disappearance, on which he was arrested. Blaming the arrest on Muslim conspirators, he served 24 months before being released on good behavior. During his time in prison, his rhetoric slamming non-Balgrevs reached radical new levels. After his release he was banned by the BPNP and stripped of his membership for life.
Not one to be dismissed so easily, he utilized his connections to throughly purge the BPNP of less radical members and those whom had blocked his reentry. The then head of the organization, Dima Gjorgji, was found murdered in his home in early 2005, and Kiril came to power yet again, this time leading a radical and violent party that became known for intimidating its opposition, including the framing of various officials of contesting political parties.
Initial Conflict
The somewhat hostile situation griping the province turned deadly on October 16th 2006, when an anti-tank rocket hit a government office in Krosevelk killing 24 (Mostly Government Employees) and leaving over 70 injured. The day worsened, as paramilitary forces in the various metropolitan towns of the capital took up arms and began raids on local police armories, police units were both unable to adequately arm themselves and unwilling to fire on their own countrymen.
In the ensuing chaos over the next 3 hours some 42 civilians were left dead and 100's injured as paramilitary forces fought against police. Several police stations in Balgrev populated towns joined in the uprising themselves, a feat that was brought to the public eye days later when entire units of local Willinkian military forces began deserting to join Balgrev paramilitary units.
Using the distress of the situation Kiril created the Balgrev National Army, which served to unite the various Balgrev paramilitary forces operating in the region. Overnight the various guerrilla forces organized together and began razing households in the Muslim-dominate southern sector of the capital, while desertion of the military continued rampart: The military installation at Zsanett reported a whopping 75% desertion rate, over 3/4ths of its fighting force. The following weekend the base was overrun by Muslim separatist forces whom executed the surviving units at the base, before razing the majority of the buildings on-base.
As the capital fell into a state of disorder BNA aligned forces began to push out various Christian and Muslim militant factions from enclaves, while destroying religious sites in the process. By the morning of October 18th, over 300 had been left dead in the capital and over 275 buildings had been destroyed by various acts of arson and military action.
War of Independence
- Main article(s): Balgrev War of Independence
As Willinkian forces lost control of various bases throughout the region the BNA found itself in control of the majority of the region, and now sought to eliminate various unaligned paramilitary forces. This nearly month long period is known as the Balgrev War of Independence by Balgrev's, while it is called The October Conflict by Willinkians.
BNA, aiming to exemplify its fighting power mounted a massive campaign targeting MPA and Muslim Liberation Army strongholds with little success; casualties during intital operations are estimated to have numbered in the thousands as BNA forces fought to gain control of the mountainside city of Kristijan from MPA paramilitary factions.
In the middle of the month the Balgrev central ministry in Krosevelk was blown up by militant Christian guerrillas, sparking a week long campaign terrorizing those suspected of association with the militant group, which included the murder of some 400 civilians, mostly women and children in the town of Arklus.
The aformentioned attack sparked off the fiercest of hostilities, as BNA forces razed entire villages populated by minorities, while initiating its first real air campaign in an attempt to drive Muslims militants into the mountains and away from urban settlements. This however proved to be disastrous as the poorly trained Balgrev National Army Air Force proved to be horrendously under equipped and totally under manned, suffering humiliating losses at the hands of cheaply produced shoulder launched surface to air missiles.
Suffering massive losses in both the air and on the ground, the BNA turned to saturated artillery strikes which proved effective for the time being. Kiril appeared before the various military leaders of the BNA in late October to present his envisioning of a Balgrev state, and to promote additional anti-Метохија actions (The most well-known of which occurred when nearly 750 Prisoners of War were executed and dragged through the streets of Krosevelk.)
The battle for independence came to its short demise when Willink launched a massive air campaign that totally disrupted the BNA efforts to defeat its various enemies, destroying the BNA's progress toward unison and ending its role as a traditional fighting force.
