The Second Nigerian Civil War(Democritus only!)

[Bendicion]

Operation Cheran Day 4
Outskirts of Warri, suburbs of Ugbisi
1137
5th Infantry Battalion
3rd Infantry Brigade

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Australian forces in action in the suburbs of Ugbisi

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Operation Cheran was going way ahead of schedule than expected, the spearhead of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, the 5th Infantry Battalion, was now closing in on Warri from the south, already entering the suburbs of Ugbisi, establishing a secure perimeter, waiting for needed supplies for the soon offensive on the city itself. Going there, the 5th ID encountered no to little resistance, but the day before, the 5th's forward frontline troops reported of increasing military resistance as the troops closed on in, and was even subjected to sporadic mortar fire which was retaliated with Predator drone gun runs. Luckily no one died, but 8 men were injured.

The operation was going well on all fronts, areas that were to be captured on Operation Cheran such as the towns of Gbekebor, Jeremi III, Pessu, Okwagbe and many more were succesfully secured, encountering little to no resistance at all as the 3rd Infantry Brigade rolled through with hundreds of armored vehicles and also due to the presence of fine roads and bridges that were seemingly left undefended by retreating HNA garrisons, although some explosives were still found in several, detonation of these explosives didnt happen and were successfully removed by Scops as the advance continued. As the 3rd Brigade moved in, the reinforcing 7th Infantry Brigade arrived in the towns to further secure and establish secure perimeters and communication lines as well as help the moving in FOB forces to establish command post and medical bay areas for the surviving peoples.

It was just 2 days ago when the 5th Battalion successfully defeated a small HNA garrison in Gbekebor at the opening salvos of the Operation. The 5th Battalion in no time defeated and pushed into a retreat the HNA garrison and the force was reporting a victory until report broke in on what the front lines troops encountered in Gbekebor. A quote from one of the frontline troops reads as they entered and scanned the town:

The entire town was a ghost town of some sort from those American Wild West movies. But the scenes were more gruesome and out of this world horrifying. Bodies of men, women, children and the elderly laid across each other in piles upon piles of heaps that dotted every backyard of a house. Families massacred, the women desecrated and the young given no chance to live their days in peace. Out to the north of the town, the HNA built a huge mass grave, 7 in total, probably more, some were still unfinished, bodies of the dead lay everywhere, maggots, wild animals,flies all came to feast in. One could only imagine what kind of life these people were given. A life that no one deserves.

During the duration of the 5th Infantry Battalion's push towards Warri, the battalion suffered 6 KIA, and 138 wounded. 1 supply truck was rendered out of commission but was luckily fixed by Scop engineers.

The rest of the 3rd Infantry Brigade, which helped reinforce the 5th's spearhead offensive suffered 3 KIA, and 117 wounded. Most casualties occurred as the brigade entered through Okwagbe. A Bushmaster as well as 3 supply trucks were also destroyed by enemy mortar fire and ad hoc ambuscades.

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Operation Cheran Day 4
Obodo Omadino
1137
30th Mechanized Battalion

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Captured HNA militia fighters are rounded up for questioning in Gbekebor

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2 Days after Gbekebor, the 30th Mechanized Battalion, the main Australian force responsible for the northern flank of Operation Cheran went on full advance as well as several auxiliary units of the Spanish division.

The heavily swampland regions of Ogbe Ijoh and Obodo Omadino were successfully secured with hardly any HNA resistance, although scenes such as those found in the southern advance were evident to a lesser extent.

From prior forward lines in Madangho, the 30th and several Spanish-Australia FOB units and auxiliaries pushed 24.4kms inland before stopping for replenishing units and Spanish units reestablishing new FOB bases to secure the nearby swampland and former illegal oil refineries.

Traveling through the swamps was all the more challenging, mud and lack of infrastructure such as roads and bridges took a heavy toll on the advance, although it is still way ahead of intended schedule. Because of this adversities, the 30th, normally consisting of several APCs, IFVs and some tanks was reduced to a meagre few APCs and tanks. However the lack of heavy firepower was supplemented by riverine boat units of RHIB boats come and go to provide heavy machine gun fire, as well as acting as scouts.

The 30th has suffered few casualties, rarely even from enemy fire but rather to disease such as malaria and yellow fever, although some sporadic artillery mortar fire was experienced on the 3rd day of the offensive. 16 men were wounded from the advance.

[United Democratic Christian States]

Benin City

December 9th, 2019

With Benin City splitting from the HNA and proposing for it to join the NSRA, the GU decided that before Benin City is Recongnized as NSRA territory they needed to severely damage the city. Reason being that if the rebuilding price is too high the NSRA and their weak economy won't support integrating Benin City into the NSRA, keeping it from expanding. Or if it does expand harm the NSRA economy further and make it a weaker player in international politics.

However before the attacks, the GUAF sent a message to Benin City officials.

To the officials of the splinter group of Benin City, this is the GUAF.

We plan to strike several locations in the city in roughly 48 hours on October 11th, 2019. You have until then to clear the following locations of civilians.

-All Rubber processing plants
-Crepe factory
-[Major bridges]
-Azura Power Plant

December 11th, 2019

The Cruise Missile Carrier Aircraft(CMCA) would take off from neighboring Benin along with 5 Eurofighter escorts and travel over the NSRA to where they could easily strike Benin City with Cruise Missiles and Air to Ground Missiles at the targets listed above, while still maintaining an alititude to high for handheld SAMs.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Battle of Warri

The time had come for the HNA to strike back at the Australians. At night they began their first attack. But rather then attack by ambush they instead went another route, one the FSR had encountered a while back. Both the 30th, in the swamplands, and the 5th, between Ugnisi and Egini, would be rocked as artillery and missile fire would rain down from Oviwan and Warri itself. Palmaria artillery tanks and APR-40 mobile rocket launchers kept up the attack, trying to force the Aussies back and keep them at bay. The plan was to try and surprise as many as possible and kill as much as possible to make the Aussies think twice about trying to take Warri and the lose of life that was would take place if they tried.

Meanwhile on the river, the RHIB squadron was in for a nasty surprise as from the shores and the shallow embankments, 4 FV107 Scimitars and 3 amphibious MTL-LBS launched an attack on the boats at they came up river. The autocannons and machine guns fired, trying to destroy the 8 boats or atleast damage them enough they would turn around.

Benin City

The German attack was met with panic and confusion. Despite the 48 hour warning, officals in the city repeatedly sent messages back they had no intention of fighting CSN forces and just wanted to join the NSRA, as was their right. However, the disaster could not be averted. The Germans attacked the completely defenseless city. Major bridges where destroyed, the power plant explodes in flames, plunging the city in darkness and rubber procressing plants where detsroyed. Though casualties where kept low, the compact nature of the city it was unavoidable. Worse yet, the destroyed bridge blunted any emergency response that could have helped. The numbers where rising and atleast 5,000 civilians where dead by the time fires had been managed.

Worse yet, like with Port Harcourt, the attack on the industrial area poisoned the city. The explosions and fires at the processing plants unleashed many carcinogenics martials into the city. Carbon Black was the heaviest and caused temporary blindness and breathing problems. While not as extreme as Port Harcourt, Germany had effectively doomed many people to various forms of cancer later in life. Many of the government officals knew in Benin City and tried to organize a response but only managed to cause another panic as people feared for their lives.

This would not go unoticed by the rest of Nigeria however, while Australasia and France so far have conducted themselves properly...the Italian biological weapons attack, the Persian attack on the factories of Port Harcourt and now the German attack on a netural Benin City...things where going to rapidly shift in the coming days.

[Puertollano]

Official correspondence of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Puertollano

The Bolivarian Republic of Puertollano, and the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Puertollano condemn this blatant attack on Benin City by the cowardly Germanic Forces. While posturing in the Council of Sovereign Nations about their 'clean' slate in power, the Germanic Union fired missiles in a desperate bombardment to harm the peace-loving people of the NSRA and Benin City. Not only did the missiles kill civilians on their own accord, Germany also sadistically destroyed chemical processing plants to therefore indirectly use chemical weaponry against these innocent people. The Bolivarian Republic of Puertollano has therefore called for an immediate suspension of all activity in the CSN to establish a council briefing on the crimes against humanity committed by the German Government.

The National Bolivarian Armed Forces will not stay silent, nor will we watch these atrocities occur. 10,000 Puertollanoan Soldiers will cross the NSRA-Benin City border to act as front-line servicemen to help the victims of this cowardly barrage. Medical supplies will accompany them as they search the rubble for possible survivors. Medical attention will be given to all those who need it, especially those affected by the chemical plant explosion. Further, 3,000 Puertollanoan internationalist doctors will soon arrive in Benin City to care for the sick and needy. They will arrive with countless medical resources and expertise.

Our condolences are with the people of Nigeria.

[New Metropolitan France]

Franco-North American military actions

The French Confederation and North American Federation have moved to enact a jointly coordinated series of actions in relation to events in Nigeria. The two countries' naval forces in the area have moved to take up mutually supportive positions that will allow for increased defense and effectiveness of operations. Combined with a series of patrols by AWACs, tankers, ASW helicopters, submarines, and large numbers of stealth aircraft at ranges designed to increase early warning capacity, this will result in improved efficiency and safety of the deployment.

In addition to these naval activities, additional military equipment, vehicles, and personnel are being deployed from North America, France, and Algeria. In terms of manpower, it will comprise of 44,000 from NAF and 65,000 from the Dominion of Metropolitan Algeria and Europe. A larger contingent of NAF personnel is also planned for the near future.

Meanwhile, French Confederation troops in the south already on the ground have opted to continue their offensive. This will be along two main prongs of attack; one along the Murtala Mohammed highway, and another towards the city of Umuahia. In order to achieve this, reconnaissance satellites and drones seek to scout potential hostiles along the routes of advance, and assign Rafales to deliver bombardment against them. At the same time, AMX-30s and AFVs will advance along the roads with infantry clearing the flanks supported by mortars where needed.

In the north, where many of the reinforcement troops will be deployed upon their arrival, the war became mobile. In scenes reminiscent of the Franco-British Union's war against the Axis in North Africa during the Second World War, one hundred armored vehicles (two thirds of them tanks), begin a blitzkrieg across the desert. While aircraft (flying out of SAM range and partially identifying their targets through drones) mercilessly assault enemy forces fleeing Zango through the desert along with any other enemy forces they happen across, the armor would fan out and rush across the terrain with the goal of reaching the lake approximately 30 km from Zango within only a matter of hours. It would mark a major change in strategy if successful - a war of speed in the north, hoping to leave their opponents stunned having come to expect the CSN's sluggish advances to date and unable to resist combined armored and air assault in the desert theater of war.

Diplomatic

The CSN Speaker has launched an investigation into the recent attacks by the Germanic Union.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Umuahia

The road to the city was similar to all other assualts on HNA controlled cities, mostly unimpeded beyond irregular ambushes and mines placed in the road. Umumahia though was going to be very tricky to take. From the south the large jungle landscape gave way to a massive, tight city sprawl. Four other smaller cities made up the larger city as well, Amakama, Amizi, Umudike and Nudme. The HNA at this point was ready to cut off the nose to spite the face.

In Umudike, the large fields of farms blazed with black smoke as HNA soldiers torched them to deny the CSN the opportunity to help restore order in the area when they took the city. The scene was repeated in the other farms within the area, guaranteeing a massive food crisis in the HNA territory if the war ever ended, in part thanks to the HNA and Italian Bio Weapons.

In terms of strength, a garrison of 60,000 troops where in the city of Umiahia itself, but where getting ready to leave in a full scale retreat and flee to Onishita, both to try and stop the ICN advance and to try and make something of a last stand. It would be clear from any drone or satellite footage, they where begining to gather near the A6 HIghway and make the 2 hour trip once the French and NAF forces got close enough.

Zango

The sudden increase in speed did surprise the fleeing ICN forces, enough where most got slaughtered trying to flee to the smaller outlying villages. This allowed the CSN forces to get to the small lake with no issues. This did put the ICN on High alert as a quicker moving CSN could threaten the secondary capital of Kano.

Warri

As the Australians prepared the inevitable massive assault on Warri, they got a message. Sometime within the past week or so a large scale mutiny had happened among the HNA forces. They where surronded, tired and hungry. More then that, many of the soldiers had grown tired of killing their country men or being forced too.The mutity had not been long are very violent. The commanding officer had been killed and much of the HNA force in the city had gone along with it. The message was asking for three things.

They would surrender and place their arms down to the Australian CSN forces as well hand over those who order and committed the massacres in the surrounding villages if

1. They would provide food, medical supplies and other basic necessities.

2. Help keep law and order in the city as food riots where becoming common

3. Keep other CSN forces from destroying and massacring the people as they also wished to join the NSRA and if the Australians would help with that transfer of power.

Benin City

Puertollano troops to find a city nearing its death throes. While many of the fires had come under control, it had taken days, much longer then necessary and many of the emergency response did not have the proper equipment to protect themselves from the toxic chemicals the various rubber plants produced and had gotten sick, to point where it affected an already blunted response time. Major bridges being down meant what food and supplies where left had trouble reaching the people who needed them. Furthermore the attack had only serve to stoke anti European sentiments, not only in Benin but elsewhere...

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

CSN Report 14: ICN Inches Closer to destructive Final Battle at Onitsha, 2 major cities break away from HNA, wanting to join NSRA despite German attack.

The ICN advance against the HNA threatens to stall out as the the push has slowed to a snails's pace. The HNA is on the verge of defeat at the hands of their Islamic enemies but the belagured factions refuses to surrender to anyone as long as they hold their captial city. Already it seen an uptick in violent suicide bombings and random shootings and experts fear the worse if the ICN army confronts the city directly.

In the meanwhile, the HNA looses ground behind them as CSN armies and massive defections limit their numbers further. Its being reported that the cities of Warri, Port Harcourt and Benin City and their surrounding areas have all agreed into a small alliance and pentioning to join the NSRA. This would give the NSRA a massive increase in land and after the attack on Benin City, they risk another similar assualt. However, these three cities remain defiant, becoming increasing anti-European and anti-CSN. All three of these cities have suffered heavily because of European nation's actions.

Warri was near ground zero of the Italian Anthrax attack that sent people into Western Nigeria. Many of the outlying villages and town are severely depopulated or wiped out due to the disease infecting people and farm animals, as well as HNA troops eradicating the sick. Many of the refugees are in Warri, testing its ability to hold on to power. Its been a reported a mutiny has taken place which lead to the defection from the HNA and conditioned surrender to the Australian forces in the area.

Port Harucourt was attacked by Persian Jets and much of power and industrial infrastructure was destroyed. This happened during the start of the second rainy season and much of the industrial by product released during the attack has poisoned the people and environment. Poisonous acid rain has also been reported, killing crops and poisoning nearby rivers needed for water, food and irrigation.

Benin City was attacked by German forces, some believing unfairly and cruelly, leading to another industrial disaster when many of its destroyed rubber plants released cancer causing chemicals into the air. Added to the fact the city, like Warri, was pushed to the limits from refugees fleeing the Anthrax Outbreak, the city was left in terrible shape.

The cities leaders have said they are willing to holding elections or referendums to prove that the people would want to join the NSRA but they refuse to acknowledge any other demands beyond not assaulting their forces already in the region until the Italians, Germans and to a limited extent Persia, are bought to justice.

[Puertollano]

Benin City

Puertollanoan doctors began to pour into the city, escorted by the military and NSRA officials. Many make-shift camps were established across the city, flying the flag of both the NSRA and Puertollano, a symbol of unison and comradery. The thousands for Puertollanoan soldiers were also overseeing the rescue of the remaining survivors from the rubble, handing out free gas maks for those in the close vicinity to the rubber plant explosion, and handing out flyers. On the flyers, it confirmed the bombing was committed by the German Armed Forces and listed the other catastrophes performed by the 'European imperialists' during the CSN invasion. This sentiment had public support in not only Benin City, but a large portion of the Nigerian population.

Warri, Port Harcourt

As part of their request to join the NSRA, a senior Puertollanoan diplomat travelled to Warri to discuss the the extension of the NSRA to include the city-states. Diplomats and official ambassadors on the behalf of Puertollano also arrived in Port Harcourt to discuss similar topics. Officially, the Puertollanoan Government is pushing the policy of peace in Nigeria, and supports a possible referendum for the acceptance of Warri and Port Harcourt into the now, only legitimate, Nigerian successor. President Castillo has sent his personal congratulations to the people of Warri and Port Harcourt for their "undying determination for peace and stability."

[Bendicion]

Operation Cheran Day 6
Warri City Center
1200
5th Infantry Battalion
3rd Infantry Brigade

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An Australian Williams tank is greeted by a flock of residents as it enters Warri

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The spearhead unit of the 3rd Inf Brigade, the 5th Battalion had finally arrived at the city center of Warri amidst some faint cheers of the surviving inhabitants. The rest of the elements of the 3rd Infantry Brigade followed soon after with commander Brigadier General Timothy Berham who went directly to the de facto leaders of the city of Warri to talk about the agreement that the people of Warri proposed to the Australian forces. While the talks were ongoing, more and more Australian armor and troops arrived from Ugbisi to secure the northern outskirts of the city. Around 2 hours after the Brigadier General arrived, almost 1,000 troops , including the 5th Battalion, along with 300 tanks, IFVs ,AFVs and supply trucks had entered the city and were quickly distributing rations before the main supply convoys were to arrive with medicine, water,food, basic necessities such as beds, shoes and clothes that were to help the local population recover.

As troops moved past along streets, hundreds of bodies littered backyards, supposed mass graves were not finished as the HNA forces withdrawed. The scenes of hunger and disillusion were rampant as men, women and children asked for food wherever the Australian convoy passed along. However in spite of such circumstances, some remaining survivors were happy to see the Australian forces arriving to restore order and security to their lives. While most troops were ordered to secure the perimeters of the city and to help maintain order among the people, some were ordered to dig graves for the dead as well as help distribute what little the spearhead troops had to offer.

At 1620, the Brigadier reported back a message to the main CSN headquarters at the Forcados Perimeter.

ROCKET to RIVER. Talks finished. Demands of the people of Warri have been agreed except last one. Last sentence, third demand clause. Notify the CSN of the people of Warri's intentions to join the Nigerian Socialist Republic. Reply requested Immediately. City secured. Enemy activity to the north is minimal. 3rd Brigade has successfully secured objectives under Cheran for the Brigade. No casualties. All troops accounted for. Over.

As of present, all foreign citizens not sanctioned by the CSN and the Australian Army will not be allowed inside the premises of Nigeria due to security concerns as well as confidential issues regarding matters yet to be disclosed.

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Operation Cheran Day 6
Ubeji, Western Warri District
1200
30th Mechanized Infantry Battalion

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Though the city has been secured, troops are still on high alert

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The 30th had managed to cross numerous rough swamps and rivers, all the while capturing HNA soldiers and gaining valuable intelligence as well as stories about the HNA's war crimes. After 6 days since the start, the 30th were now in control of the western district of Warri and were already preparing for their next orders. However the majority of soldiers went to get a quick nap in their vehicles as the 3rd Infantry Brigade stood by for the patrolling and sentry duties, giving the 30th a good sleep's rest.

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Benin City
0413
12th Mechanized Infantry Division


After gaining entry for safe passage to Benin City, the 12th Division's convoy rolled across the former HNA territory with their armored Bushmasters, A7s, Williams and MOWAGs. The 12th Division's orders were to cruise to Benin City, meet the city's defacto leaders and then proceed to Warri or north to secure a new frontline against approaching ICN forces.

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Operation Cheran, thought to take at least 2 weeks has finished in less than a week, 6 days,with key objectives(Warri, Ukwagbe,etc) taken with minimal loses. Operation called successful.

OPERATION CHERAN

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About 70 soldiers have sacrificed their lives in Nigeria. Is it worth it?

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Number of troops participated:

• 5,855 soldiers(16.73% of total troops)
• 6,850 Scops(15.22% of total Scops)
• 390 vehicles

CASUALTY REPORT

• Killed in Action: 12 troops
• Wounded in Action: 312 troops
• Missing in Action: 0 troops
• Vehicles Out of Commission: 15-20

[Bendicion]

Ukwakwa
0340
7th Infantry Brigade

With the quick fall of Warri and the subsequent lowering of enemy presence in the surrounding areas of Warri, the Australian High Command in the Forcados Perimeter laid the groundwork for an ambitious but otherwise foreseeable plan to secure the southern towns of Okwarabe,Evwreni, Ovhori, Owheru, Patani, Sagbama, Torugbene, Amassama and if possible Yenagoa, the scene of a horrible collapse of Spanish forces a few months ago.

The operation has been called Operation Trina, which will happen in two phases. The first phase of the operation is to take, secure and fortify all towns and villages north of the Niger River with the help of the ~3,200 strong 7th Infantry Brigade and its massive force of armored vehicles and aerial drones. The second phase will be to capture all towns west of the Nun river, with the outskirts of Yenagoa in striking distance. Operation Trina is expected to last just a week, with the army expecting little to no resistance at all.

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The AH-17 Raider, the leading attack, recon helicopter for the Australian Army

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Meanwhile, as much of the territory to be covered will be full of dense forests and thick undergrowth, the army will be utilizing propaganda with the help of Nigerians from the nearby towns that wish to volunteer. The Army will be using loudspeakers atop pickup trucks of locals, as well as using fast attack helicopters, theAH-17 Raider, and RHIB boats from the coast, to send messages and leaflets to persuade any remaining HNA troops to surrender with the promise that they will not be subjected to maltreatment, torture and extrajudicial killings. Propaganda messages will not be limited to sending messages to the jungle but will also be used by spearhead units as they approach villages. Local radio stations will also be used, with messages used to be only in Nigerian in order to persuade more people to allow the Australian force to pass peacefully and to avail needed supplies and aid.

Some 300 Spanish troops will also be participating in the operation under the 7th Brigade's 12th Battalion.

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Warri, A2 Highway
0312
30th Mechanized Battalion

The push to the north will be called Operation Prince, with its main objective being is to close the gap between the Benin City faction and to link up with the 12th Mechanized Division. The operation will also be similar to Operation Trina, using loudspeakers and pamphlets to persuade enemy holdouts to surrender peacefully as well as utilizing for the first time in a massive scale AH-17 attack helicopters in conjunction with aerial drones and ground support.

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Ambushes, long been neutralized after several encounters by Australian firepower and intelligence

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Once Operation Prince and Operation Trina's objectives have been secured the whole territory under Australian control will be more than 15,000 sq km and in which a distinct front line will have been established, stretching from the NSRA towards north of Yenagoa. About 300 casualties are expected, with about 10 to 20 people not making it alive.

Due to rising discontent and low public opinion on the conflict as well as the high casualty rates, the Australian Army will finally be training Nigeria troops in several Forward Operating Bases, with the army looking forward to some 5,000 new recruits withing 2 months.With the exception of the "Forcados Scouts" which number close to 2,000, these new troops will be tasked to man garrison duties as well as to help distribute aid and ensure the security of their areas of responsibility. The Australian Army sees to it that these steps will be a move forward to a gradual pullout from Nigeria in the near future.

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Iguomo
A232 highway
12th Mech. Inf. Division


With the two other operations aimed to consolidate territory that has virtually small to no HNA presence at all, the last operation will be "Operation Zaire", which will be a huge rush of troops and material of the 12th Mechanized Inf. Division, currently the largest single fighting force of the Australian Army, to capture vital roads and bridges in Uvbe, and Abudu, with the main goal of capturing the city of Agbor and securing its surrounding districts.

The Operation will feature 4 waves of 3,000 forces and hundreds of armored vehicles as well as aerial support from drones. Each wave happening every 4 hours The operations sees to it that the long convoys of forces will recreate the effective strategy of using escort convoys during Cheran within a long line of convoys in order to reduce effects of ambushes as well as to enable a fast and effective response using smaller mobile units and fast communications between leading convoys and rear units. The army will also use encrypted messages and send decoy transmissions throughout the duration of Operation Zaire in order to mislead remaining enemy units as well as to spread panic in the enemy through fake information.

The first wave will feature the most advanced and heavy armored AFVs and IFVs of the 12th Division, as it will spearhead assaults on the towns throughout the length of the A232 highway, with the 2nd and 3rd waves serving as supporting forces and the last wave with the responsibility of establishing supply chains and forward operating bases for garrison troops and training centers for future auxiliary troops.

Zaire is expected to just happen finish in just 2 days in one of the fastest operations the war will need to see.

The operation will also slice a salient into the HNA's southern holdings and will help effectively cut off the leftover HNA militants and strongpoints within range of the Australian frontlines in Warri and Onitsha.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Nigeria Update 15: ICN advance stalls as HNA manages to hold out and CSN diverts resources

The final battle between the HNA and ICN is not playing out as many expected as the HNA has been able to keep the ICN from blasting its way into its capital city of Onitsha. The stall that has been ongoing has been predicted to be because the ICN is being forced to divert resources to fight against the CSN incursion in its northern territory. Despite being greatly weakened, the HNA still holds on and is expected it will hold on until its grip over its capital city is broken.

Meanwhile, the NSRA is expected to see the results of its own election. Despite the circumstances, with two of the previous candidates being killed in an ICN car bombing, its going ahead with a full vote between its two candidates. The future of the country and the territories that wish to join them are dependent on which if these candidates win, with one side favoring full integration, bypassing CSN approval completely, and the other willing to work with the CSN as long as they acknowledge many of its members committed war crimes.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Nigeria Update 16: HNA line breaks as ICN charges into Onitsha.

What has been feared to have happened has happened. The ICN has broken through the HNA lines and is directly attacking and invading the city of Onitsha. Already reports are coming in of destruction and possible war crimes as the ICN seeks to completely destroy the city. The HNA is managing to hold its even, even as its entire territory collapses around them. Reinforcements from what is left of their army is arriving from all over, leaving them open to be taken by the CSN if it can manage a large push.

The northern sections of the city are engulfed in flames and fighting at ICN forces kill anyone who is not a part of their army. The western section of city has been made impassible as the HNA destroyed the bridge, forcing the ICN to funnel all of its forces into the north. A rear guard protects the city from a possible CSN attack. It remains to be seen if the CSN will use this opportunity to intervene or allow the ICN to destroy the HNA once and for all.

[Bendicion]

Operation Prince
Operation Trina
Operation Zaire

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Australian armor advancing on dirt road towards Yenagoa

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The three pronged operations had effectively wiped out HNA resistance all across the south, leaving behind scattered supporters and no effective armed resistance as the Australian forces quickly spearhead deep into once HNA controlled towns and villages. Alongside the military convoys are followup garrison forces of Forward Operating Bases such as Support Combat Personnel, Military Engineers, Medical Combat Units and Auxiliary Units from Forcados. About 16,500+ soldiers and 11,000 Scops participated in the three operations which tripled the land territory of the controlled territory, which now control nearly 30,000 sq km of territory stretching from Forcados in the South to Agbor in the North and the eastern districts of Benin City in the West to Port Harcourt's westernmost suburbs.

Separately, about 40,000 humanitarian,services personnel and soldiers are effectively participating in "Hearts Campaign" which goals to gain trust and support for the Australian forces from the local population through medical services, relief goods, military training, security patrols, management as well as helping rebuild some key welfare services such as water and electricity.

Meanwhile, in the North the 12th Division slowly moves up to the west of Onitsha. The Division has already encountered several groups of ICN fighters crossing and were able to neutralize forces from reaching the south. These presence of ICN forces is alarming enough as reconnaissance drones have picked up images of alarming numbers of technicals, heavy artillery and a number of unit divisions with ICN numbers estimated at about 50,000 to 70,000 forces.

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MBT-18s serving as artillery units against ICN advance into Onitsha

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With Onitsha now falling under immense pressure from the ICN forces and their forces quickly diminishing fast, the 12th Mech. Division's Division Commander , Lt. General Edgar C. Rawles, has ordered its 10 MBT-18s to serve as artillery units with the intention of firing on ICN forces approaching the HNA lines, firing HE rounds in order to stall the infantry advances of the ICN and to give the HNA forces a form of respite and support. This surprising action has astonished the Australian High Command in Warri, but nonetheless have remained silent over the action.

[New Metropolitan France]

Niger-Nigeria border

It was early in the morning when their orders arrived. Across the main armor and infantry regiments of the French Confederation, the CSN banner was lowered. It had already been taken down from their command posts the night before, by order of the President. Just as the tank crews began to start their engines, and the infantry finished mounting their various APCs and AFVs, the roar of jet engines began to emerge. Moments later, fighters and bombers of the Confederation Air Forces could be seen entering ICN airspace. Their targets would be deeper into enemy territory - their positions closer to the border were the responsibility of the artillery. 120mm towed guns had been distributed across their planned advancing columns, and these sprang to life as the offensive began while AMX-30s and Leclercs begin to cross the border along with thousands of infantry in support. They would not remain confined to the roads, rather they would cross the desert where the terrain allowed in order to blitz their way across the country. UAVs would seek to identify enemy units before the advancing ground forces could encounter them and relay their positions and relative strength to battalion officers. Small towns if encountered would be stormed quickly where possible, while larger towns and cities would be encircled. It is hoped that in almost every encounter outside of urban centers the French troops would know the location of their enemies before engaging, and thus be able to react appropriately using artillery, air support, or mobile ground tactics where appropriate. As such, vehicle losses to anti-tank missiles will hopefully be low as they are destroyed or countered before the ICN fighters could strategize. Their aircraft, for the most part, fly at high altitude to avoid SAMs.

The previous, CSN-approved, offensive by the French Confederation had been near Zango. Consequently, the decision was made to begin a pronged attack near Jibia, with the aim of creating a pincer to trap ICN forces in the border salient between these two locations. It would be an attack along an 80-mile front. The lake at Jibia would be the first priority of a 2,400-man detachment from the main advance, while the rest of the offensive continues towards their strategic goal of encircling the border bulge.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

ICN Territory

The French did indeed blitz their way across the desert. Any ICN patrols caught in the open would have been destroyed and their members killed. The French had too much of an advantage and the ICN couldn't fight a proper war with them. So they changed tactics. Much of their mechanized force was down in Onishta and in either case they couldn't really use against the French's own forces. Not yet atleast. Instead they began to go incognito. As the French blitzed smaller towns they would find no resistance until a majority of the force had left. That's when the sneak attacks, mines and even suicide bombings would begin, either forcing the French force to turn around and clean up or move onwards and hope their own forces could deal with the issue.

The same tactic was used for the larger towns. Encircled as they may be, the ICN made no effort to let their presence be known. Unlike the situation with Enwang, there was no real definable location for them within the city. They could blend in. This would mean the French forces would have to figure whether they where wasting resources by encircling cities who legitimately did not an ICN presence in them or where walking into a trap.

In Jibia the situation was different. The ICN did keep a presence within the city, as it was right on the border with Niger but they also kept a garrison of 500 men on the dam that over looked the city. They knew the importance of water in the upper regions of the country and weren't going to let the French take it so easily. Infact they weren't going to let them take it at all. The ICN knew it couldn't take on the massive French force and that it couldn't survive an encirclement for long, especially if the lake was taken. So they opted for everyone to be destroyed.

From the city, mortar fire erupted but it was not aimed at the French forces. They began firing on the dam. Not kept well together even under peace times, the cracks began to show quickly and soon it gave way. The cracks became holes and water suddenly smashed through the openings. The dam could hold 142 million tons of water and now most of it was rushing out. The right side of Jibia would most likely be washed out, destroying structures, drowing people, ICN soliders and even any French forces that was too close to the city. Further along to the east, the water would destroy the small farming area, perhaps some French forces that where storming the lake and any who where encircling the city, as well as flood he Gada river. This would cause repercussions in Niger itself as the sudden flood of water would most likely end up flooding towns and villages along that river. Then it would most likely cause a drought in areas where the Gada river was an important source of water as it would dry up realtively quickly in the heat of the desert. With no dam to regulate the water and the lake that supplies it draining out, it would be another crisis the French where forced to deal with.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Battle of Onishta

The Australians kept the ICN from trying to take the Western flank. They where forced to funnel in from the North and East. This would not go unapposed though. The ICN soon took the Main Market district and began firing back at the Aussie force across the river with mortars and towed artillery. In the city itself, chaos transpired. The HNA was too weak to effecively fight back. Many of the supposed reinforcements began breaking off and surrendering to various CSN groups that had not pulled out. Destruction was rampant as the ICN committed various atrocities amoung the populace.

The HNA began to break rank and call a full retreat heading towards CSN territory but the ICN had almost completely surronded the city at that point, leaving only the narrow strip of road, Atani Road, as the only way out. Filled with burned out and abandoned cars, it stopped any organized retreat, causing people and HNA soliders to flee into the jungles completely unprepared. But the ICN did not want to take Onitsha. No, they wanted it destroyed.

A large military truck, heavily guard speed down the open streets, quickly reaching the beseiged city center. At first the ICN had planned to use this weapon in the back right in the city center but it wouldn't make the point they wanted it to. No, instead an assault was launched on the HNA headquarters, the former LGA building. The bulding was well defended and could withstand the siege for days, waiting until the CSN or another country got tired of watching all the slaughter and came in. Infact the HNA leader was about to completely surrender to the CSN, trying desperately to contact the Australian forces. The message was sent but was cut off half way through.

As the truck arrived, two men leaped out, keeping their head down. They entered the back of the truck, lifting a clothe over a large item. A bomb. Written on the side was something in Arabic. They began typing in a code, forcing the weapon to arm despite not being in a container. A quick confirmation code came up and both men pressed the engaged button. 10 Second Countdown.

9.
The men in the truck began screaming their God's name, knowing they would die but it would be for the greater glory of it all. The final defeat of the Christian Heathens.

8.

The HNA troops outside the compund fought desperately, many of them wondering what had gone so wrong? Why did they join this foolish crusade? Why had their god abandoned them? The entire world stood against them and let these Islamist monster destroy their homes, friends and family.

7.

The ICN troops fought with vigor and unrestrained rage. They had murdered and plundered their way for this very moment.

6.

The HNA Leader, a man who's name would not be widely known even after the war, cried in his bunker. He had been apart of the Nigerian Army. Saw people killed in the first Civil War by the NSRA. Saw people killed when the country tore itself apart a second time. He created the HNA to save the Christian populace of Nigeria. It felt right and that God was on his side. But now he was surely going to die. He opened a drawer near his small cot and pulled out a gun, eying it.

5.

The night sky over Onitsha was blazing with fire and smoke. Alarms, screams, gunshots, small explosions all made up a terrible chorus, building up what was to come.

4.

The bomb had reached the point of no return. It was impossible to stop what was happening now.

3.
What would happen would change the face of the war.

2.
And it would not be the last time Nigeria would see this level of destruction.

1.

From the distance a massive, earth shattering explosion could be heard. A powerful pressure wave ripped through the center of Onistha, killing the ICN and HNA fighters outside the compound and any civilians. Building shuddered and collapsed, windows exploded and cars where ignited in the heat of the blast. The explosion could be seen by everyone near and in the city and could be felt. A massive mushroom cloud emerged into the night sky. It would effect the whole city, the bomb wasn't big enough but it was enough to get people's attention. The HNA leadership had been wiped out. Almost 6,000 people killed in a single blast, over a thousand injured without any way to get help.

But that mushroom cloud sent fear through people still in the city. HNA troops and civilians began to flee. hey believed the ICN had gotten its hand on a nuclear weapon. They had no way of knowing if it really was or not. They didn't care. At this moment fear prevailed as did the ICN. They butchered those trying to flee or surrendering. For now...it was up to the nations of the world to determine whether or not a nuclear bomb had just went off.

[New Metropolitan France]

The mood in the corridors of power in Paris was dim. The opinion polling for both the ruling party and for Presidential approval had been abysmal following the decision to escalate the war in Nigeria. President Dutoit had already heard some of the narratives being spun by the Conservatives; that Europe had betrayed the French by abandoning them in the country during the CSN mandate, that the Presidential office was being bought by the arms manufacturers, and that somehow his own incompetence was the cause of the mess now faced by the Sixth Republic in Nigeria.

Then came the two latest reports from the war-torn region; the dam collapse which had killed an unknown number of French Confederation personnel and civilians, and the report of a nuclear explosion at Onishta. While his best experts were working on identifying the cause of the later, with preliminary reports due to be released within hours following the deployment of four UAV to the blast zone to test for radioactive fission fragments, there were steps that could be taken quickly. Nigeria was home to several uranium deposits, however the French Confederation's intelligence services were doubtful that the ICN were able to weaponize any such potential nuclear material, and were more doubtful still that either the Orostani or Zackaroth governments would have jeopardized their own positions during the first Nigerian War by deploying their own such weapons to the fracturing state. Despite this, President Dutoit saw a PR opportunity and took it.

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FROM: The Defense Ministry of the Sixth Republic and French Confederation, Paris.
ATTN OF; CINC combined Atlantic Fleet, Gulf of Guinea.

By order of the highest authority of our Republic, the locations of all uranium mining and processing facilities of the ICN are to be destroyed immediately. You are authorized to utilize all assets at your disposable if necessary to accomplish this task. The intelligence report including the locations of each target has been forwarded to you. The blast in Onishta is still not known to be conventional or atomic, however you shall be updated as soon as that information is available.

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Within an hour of the explosion in Onishta, 80 cruise missiles were launched from the French Confederation fleet off the coast of Nigeria. They were capable of striking targets anywhere in Nigeria due to their excellent range, however today they had a very specific set of targets; the one operational nuclear reactor in Nigeria, along with all known Uranium mines. Given the Republic has long held business interests in the country's mining industry all of the locations would be already known to intelligence officials. UAVs and satellites would assess the results of the strikes after they were carried out.

---

The disaster at Jibia was still being assessed. There were still no estimates of civilian causalities, and slightly more than a hundred personnel who had been commencing the encirclement of that side of the town were missing in action. Helicopters being to search the area for survivors and to assess the damage. Thankfully, as the bulk of the army had been tasked with launching the pincer operation they were not caught up in the carnage, and were unimpeded as their blitz across the desert continued.

Their tactic of encircling each major town and city was continued despite efforts by ICN fighters to remain concealed and confuse the invaders as to their positions. The reasoning for this was simple - the French Confederation had the manpower to do so, while the ICN - if they were indeed present - would only be able to last until their food and water ran out. Smaller towns would continue to be overrun immediately when encountered however, and it would be in these encounters that the ICN's tactics would truly become a cause for concern. The response would be the garrisoning of a small armored regiment in each town after the departure of the main force, while door to door searches were carried out in a seemingly random manner in the hope of catching ICN cells by surprise. Extra food, water, and evacuation as a refugee to avoid reprisals are offered to those willing to become informants. While the regiments number only in the low thousands, combined with these tactics they would still be hopefully enough to face any ICN insurgency in low-populated towns.

[Bendicion]

12th Mechanized Division
Issele-Azagba, A232 Highway
1500

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Soldiers fix up wearing chemical suits

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The entire 12th was ready for the worst, having established an interconnected and complex number of defenses that included trenches, foxholes, ditches, tunnels, artillery and tank gun bases as well as helping consolidate construct a new airstrip that could services at least C-130s. In the nearby city of Agbor, a new base of operations of the 12th was hastily created, with a functioning communications buildings, a depot, barracks, parking area and airfield for AH17 Raiders. The Division was more than prepared to defend the front
lines against the ICN horde in nearby Onitsha who were now firing inaccurate mortar and artillery fire back on the Australians who were safe and protected by a defense network not seen since the Indochina War. One serious problem however was that the former enemy number one was radioing for help time and time again.

The communications in Agbor was soundly picking messages from HNA officers while frontline soldiers reported of massive number of surrendering HNA troop and civilians, giving horrendous testimonies of the incoming ICN soldiers. Orders were given to stem out the incoming ICN offensive maneuvers to help given a line of retreat for civilians and soldiers, however Lt.Gen Edgar C. Rawles was adamant on his decision to delay any attack on Onitsha as the battle would result to horrendous casualties and collateral damage. The army waited, but the more they waited the more people came to the frontlines.

Then it arrived, the HNA command's main building for its operations was now under attack on multiple sides. The city was being burned to the ground as the ICN decimated entire HNA garrisions and left a trail of brutality on every street. With information relayed to Canberra, PM Turnbull directly gave Lt.Gen. Rawles a direct order to attack and 'deliver from evil' the city of Onitsha from the ICN.

Just as the first troops and vehicles were being geared up for battle and transport, a huge mushroom cloud burst through horizon and a burst of air flowed at speed through the 12th's lines. The explosion quickly awed, shocked, stopped the soldiers,civilians and other witnesses as the cloud rises in a view no one had ever seen. Then shouts rang and speakers sounded as new orders were given for troops to wear special equipment and that all orders were overruled and all previous orders were to be done.

As the soldiers disembarked and equipped themselves with equipment from arriving trucks, a few reconnaissance drones were launched towards the city of Onitsha to inspect and gather information.

7th Infantry Brigade
Awo-Omamma, A5 Highway
1200

With hundreds of HNA troops,officers and leaders surrendering to the passing Australian armies of the 7th and 3rd Inf Brigades, more and more territory fell under Australian influence and control as the Australians quickly advanced to capture key cities,towns,airfields,bridges and highways that will serve a huge function for an upcoming war with the ICN.

After crossing the Niger River, the 7th and 3rd were able to capture the city of Owerri and its nearby suburbs as the city's garrison disappeared just as the Australian forces arrived, enabling the Australians to capture Owerri without sacrificing any casualties

Meanwhile, as the two brigades turned north, the 30th Mechanized Battalion quickly rushed to Port Harcourt to establish a presence and ensure security and human rights while also seeking out multiple HNA files, soldiers, officers and data that could prove useful.

Australian Humanitarian Mission

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Australian personnel aboard a Canberra ship load humanitarian assistance supplies for Nigeria

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As more and more territory fell under Australian hands and forces, the populations under the TACT were now finally able to receive countless waves of supply goods, merchandise, new clothes, food and water as the Australian Mission was not to destroy the Nigerian communities, but to establish a program to win the hearts and minds of the Nigerians to support the Australian army through intel, contacts and many more.

Due to the huge number of population being under Australian presence and beneficiary of support, about $82.24M worth of foods is being sent to the country via air transport and shipping through Australian National Line's ships, while another $37.88M worth of private contributions are being sent to provide the Nigerian people with second handed clothes, shoes, pillows, beds and other essential household products.

Of the more than 80,000 military personnel in Nigeria, about 60,000 are part of the humanitarian effort along with 8,000 private NGOs that are helping distribute and send aid. About another 20,000 newly formed para military units created by Australia are also taking part as trained medics, cooks, Scops, drivers, mechanics and many more. The government of Australia is paying more than $250M per quarter just to sustain the humanitarian campaign and about $786M for the overall military campaign, a cost many in Australia find too high to shoulder.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Battle of Onishta

The battle was over and the ICN was making their retreat. They had gotten what they wanted and put the final stake through the HNA's heart. It was over for them. Whatever was left of the HNA crumbled as the Australian forces finally marched in. Though they would face very small pockets of resitance, the war against the HNA was over and many where either fleeing or surrendering to CSN force in the former territory. It had taken awhile but lower Nigeria, The areas under Onishta atleast, was finally pacified.

But for the ICN the war was not over yet. As they retreated out of Onitsha, French bombers began a campaign of destruction. Because they brought along many vehicles, the ICN could not traverse the jungle. They had to use the roads. This presented them as a large target. Most of their heavy armory was destroyed in the attack and troops where killed. But some men and vechiles where able to enter the jungle and hide. Either way it was a large blow that stalled and broke apart much of the army fighting north.

Northern ICN territory

The encirclement tactic was working...in towns not fully under the control of the ICN. It was becoming eaiser to see what towns where controlled by the ICN and what towns weren't. Those that were not controlled usually presented angry civilians or surrendering ones within a week or so time. Those that did have ICN forces within them did not and still did not surrender due to the amount of supplies. DEspite this however, the deeper the French got the more ICN controlled towns they found and thus the more they where forced to sit and encircle.

For the smaller towns, these tactics only caused resentment and further support of the ICN, with the civilians now actively working against the the French Force by acting at informants or double agents for the ICN. Unlike the HNA, where there was a more diverse population, the ICN territory was mostly homogeneous, made up of Sunni Muslims who infact supported the ICN's efforts to make a Muslim state. Implementing Sharia Law and creating a breakaway Muslim state had always been popular within Nigeria, but such efforts where always blunted by the army and the government. But when those chains weakened it allowed the radical ICN to take control.

Jibia

It was a terrible disaster, on scale with the terrible flooding a hurricane could cause. More then 2,000 people where dead, many more injured and most of the town was completely destroyed. The surrounding farms had also been destroyed, the water the farmers relied on killing the small amount of crops. Worse, the effect would be felt in Niger in a few month in the form a massive drought as the river would dry up and no lake to properly refill it.

Zaria and across the ICN

The French destroyed the various uranium mines across ICN terrority. Though it was impossible for the ICN to develop nuclear weapons, it did not mean they did not try. In Zaria, the location of a small test reactor, has been such a location. Whatever happened lead to a reactor leak that was slowly poisoning the city with radiation. The sickness was causing a mass migration to Kano though nobody knew what it was from at the time. Ironically enough the French destruction of the building destroyed the source of radaiton and stopped it from further poisoning the town.

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

CSN Report: ICN and NSRA clash in major battle along northern NSRA border, ICN repelled.

Its being reported that the ICN launched an attack at major attack on the northern border of NSRA territory. The attack occurred early in the morning and was most likely intended to be a surprise attack. In either case the attack was repelled with minimal losses for the NSRA. Its also being reported, but not confirmed, that Puertollano forces also aided in the battle and where a decisive factor in driving the ICN off. Its unknown why the ICN launched a sudden attack at the NSRA after only a few border clashes. Its suspected after the loss of the HNA, the ICN is trying to now go after the NSRA. However the NSRA is much more well armed and put together then the HNA and also has international support. The ICN meanwhile has suffered major attacks by the French and other Allied powers. Some suspect this could have been a desperate grab for more land to move into.

[Bendicion]

1423
Onitsha
12th Mechanized Infantry Division

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---

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Australian troops moving to Onitsha are met by appreciative locals

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The 12th's armored vehicles drove cautiously as the division entered the ruined city, its soldiers remaining vigilant even though overhead drones reported no suspicious movements within the city. The threat of IEDs and suicide bombers was still keeping the army's commanders from needlessly rushing troops into the city of Onitsha just hours after the last of the large ICN units pulled back heading north.

Some of the city's building were still on fire, other flattened, bodies of children, women and men laying everywhere. The nearby Niger River was filled with bodies of the victims, with the water almost velvet red with the hundreds and thousands of bodies floating on the river and on the riverbanks.

From the air, AH17 helicopter pilots narrated everything they saw back to base at Warri, causing much shock to the High Command and to several aid and social worker volunteers in Nigeria.

As the spearhead unit crossed the Niger River along the A232 route, some lucky survivors came out of their homes to wave white flags at the incoming Australian forces asking for help. However, before the survivors could be given help, they still had to be routinely checked for identifications and security protocols in order to avoid possible attacks.

6 hours after the first units entered, the city was finally declared secured and put under heavy military administration. More than 5,000 social aid workers soon poured into the city from Warri to start the "Hearts Campaign", the delivery of food, water, medicine, and essential goods to the people of Onitsha. Several soldiers began to take the initiative to bury the hundreds of scattered bodies on mass graves and to help build makeshift hospitals and outposts. The 12th recorded a total casualty rate of 412,000 people, of which 250,000+ were killed either by deadly force or diseases, or about 82% of the city's population gone.

---

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At the moment, the army is limited to long range fire support

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The Australian Army's High Command has stated that due to recent events and their forces rapid advance into the HNA's former territories, that their forces have been stretched thin across the TACT, and that soldiers and Scops participating in the "Hearts Campaign" might soon be called into active combat, putting the "Hearts Campaign" into jeopardy as almost 80% of the campaign is made up of soldiers and scops. This will put the total fighting force of about 7,000 to around 23,000 men and an increase of 800 armored vehicles.

Due to negative public opinion to the war and mounting casualty rates, Canberra has only agreed to a military personnel increase of just 15,000 men for the rest of 2020, with a replacement force of 50,000 to replace a part of the current 80,000 Australian force in Nigeria.

Moreover the latest NSRA elections will not impact Australia's current stance and relations with the NSRA which will remain on friendly and reliable terms, with the NSRA claiming close to 90% of territory that is still technically under Australian presence and support as well as some trained 23,000 Nigerian Auxiliaries and another upcoming 3,000 more as the Australian Army seeks to start letting the Nigerian people take up the combat roles.

Meanwhile for added military protection and in order to neutralize the ICN from entering Onitsha and its surrounding areas, artillery and tanks are being used against ICN targets in the north, using their long range capability to fire at ICN targets being given by reconnaissance drones high up in the sky.

[Puertollano]

Abuja

A truck backed into an old warehouse, thought abandoned by its previous owners. From local stories, the owners of the warehouse were Christian, and fled when the ICN arrived in the city. It is unknown whether they were successful in their escape towards the HNA. Nevertheless, it was left standing, with no new owner. Until recently. It is now apparently the property of 'Julian Papapas', however that identity is a fraud. The man's real identity is unknown, but he is receiving an income from the Puertollanoan Special Service, in secret. The shutter of the warehouse closes down again as the truck enters in the midst of the night. Their travel only usually occurs at midnight, to reduce the chances of detection. Even then, the loose control that the ICN has over Abuja, it probably isn't an issue of smuggling in supplies. When he opened up the back of the truck, the first few layers of crates were full of agricultural products; corn, wheat, the usual import into the city. However, when those were taken out of the truck, the men then started unloading weapons, ammunition. At least a few hundred AK-47's were unloaded from the back of the truck, along with enough ammunition to launch an insurgence against the ICN and the religious theocracy. That moment was to be put on hold. 'Julian' was only one of many insiders within ICN territory. Several other locations began stockpiling these items, all guarded by the loyal. Within the city streets itself, there were also hired instigators. A young man, who is currently on the run from religious police, is charged with heresy after spray-painting secular, socialist messages on the walls of Mosques. His enthusiasm is driven by the emergence of the NSRA, but his pocket is lined by the Bolivarian Republic. Only a few days ago, he threw a molotov cocktail at Islamist militants in the city, escaping before capture. There are other more sophisticated instigators. There is one market-stall owner on one of the busy main-roads. After anyone buys products from his stall, he slips a little pamphlet into their carry-home bags. They call for resistance against the ICN, armed resistance. The pride of the instigation force, though, is the online army. Despite several attempts by the religious elite of the ICN to censor it, many anti-ICN FaceBook pages are going viral throughout the city. Their high-quality 'propaganda' videos are put on these pages, and feature socialist and anti-ICN elements. Yet, as of now, the revolution can wait.




+

[NPC Controller of Zackaroth]

Abuja

The growing resistance was worrying the ICN leaders in Abuja. They had spread too thin and now where in deep trouble with France advancing from the north and this growing revolution growing from within the city. It was time to to put a stop to it. While the ICN did not have full control over the internet, they where extremely adept at using to recruit. It was one of the reasons they had grown so large and so big over the past year. Hundreds of young men had joined, become indoctrinated and had died for the ICN. It was time to hit these Godless Socialist animals.

All over the internet, videos would surface of supposed socialist and communist forces tearing down religious sites in the NSRA(though in reality they where building them, just edited to make it look like desconstruction), NSRA troops killing innocent Muslim women and children( though again this was refitted footage of HNA troops doing this though it would be hard to tell because at the opening of the war both the NSRA and HNA had similar uniforms) as well as begin to offer rewards to those who turned in neighbors, friends and family who turned out to be socialist sympathizers. That and the act of vandalize Mosque would rile up the very LARGE population as well.

This would be effective to the Muslim population who had no real concept of socialism beyond the scary Cold War terms and who would gladly sell out a distrust worthy neighbor for extra food or money. The ICN would even rally up normal people to begin lynching and killings in areas where vandals and suspectd sympathizers fled too, causing an untold scores of death and war crimes as people where torn from their homes and killed. Another war was starting to brew inside Abuja...

[Puertollano]

Abudja

The counter-information war coming from the ICN was interesting and effective, but the Bolivarian Republic had a counter. A powerful enough broadcast tower was constructed in the territory of the NSRA to air TeleSUR into the lounge rooms of the people of Abudja. The messages being promoted were peaceful, yet subversive. It was a socialist broadcast into the heart of the Islamic stronghold. However, this stronghold wouldn't last. Official military operatives of Puertollano began a hacking spree, to remove Islamist propaganda, or as much as they could. They influenced the search algorithms to isolate and remove counter-attempt in the information. Instead, the socialist material was sponsored. Hopefully this would increase connectivity. Much of these anti-ICN messages included accounts of when the ICN committed war crimes, with films and detailed recounts. This would be used to stoke revolution.

Pressure was building. More weapons (mainly AK-47's) were shipped into the city. Puertollano had started to also send in Semtex-H, an easy-to-use explosive. This explosive was infamous for its' use by the IRA, and how effective it was to be used by a largely untrained civilian population against a better equipped fighting force. Unusually, Puertollano was also keen on exporting the ideals that President Castillo represented. Hence, recordings of Castillo began to flow into the markets of Abudja on mass. These were on USB's, DVD's and elsewhere, easy for most people to watch. His speeches were mainly his provocative ones; blasting imperialist Europe, his speeches glorifying the NSRA and socialism. Part of this information war included the large arrival of Castillo T-Shirts, similar to that of the design of Che Guevara. They wanted Castillo to be the face of the revolution in Abudja, for when it occurs.

Undercover agents for the upcoming revolution began their planning. Groups were organised by their sector of the city, and their current target were routine guerrilla attacks of Islamist militants on the street. Nothing large would happen yet.

[New Metropolitan France]

Operation Lance

The military leadership was continuing to grow more frustrated by the day at loss of public support in the Republic for the war effort, and growing causalities as the invasion progressed at a slow rate. Much of the desert had been taken through use of the bliz tactic by armored units, however the major cities remained under ICN occupation. Consequently, Operation Lance was authorized with the goal of reaching Kano swiftly and delivering a near fatal blow to the ICN regime. With current positions only 10 miles from the water supplies of Kazaure, a plan was developed to attack the area before the enemy could see them approaching from the north and destroy equipment and facilities to create another flood. Paratroopers of the elite special forces were dropped a few miles away to the east of the target under cover of darkness and ordered to advance. At the same time, helicopters, drones, and artillery would support them from afar once their presence was detected. This would be followed up by the immediate rush of 40 armored vehicles and accompanying infantry.

Meanwhile, assuming no artificial floods are created, the remaining forces would prepare to follow the main highway towards Kano, utilizing aerial reconnaissance in order to identify and engage enemy forces who may be present before they would be even aware of the advancing columns. Electronic warfare planes also run interference in order to try and prevent the enemy from triggering any explosive traps along the routes remotely, and minesweepers would be ready should such obstacles be encountered. As they would get closer to Kano, a single UAV would be deployed to trigger a kill-switch for an ICN secret weapon suspected to be in Kano or another location which Confederation intelligence had acquired from foreign sources.

Abuja front

If the Franco-American advance on Kano had been frustrating for the Confederation military, the complete stall of Australian forces despite being within striking distance of Abuja was infuriating. Strategists had predicated that if Abuja and Kano were to fall, the ICN would be forever crippled without their leadership. But Abuja was too far away for Republic ground forces to attack immediately; as such, after consultation with the North Americans, a joint strike was planned. Ballistic and cruise missiles launched from their submarines and destroyers as part of the large combined fleet off the Nigerian coast; for the French Confederation this included M45 SLBMs and SCALP cruise missiles. Simultaneously, the Mediterranean Fleet of the Republic opened fire with M51s, joined by S3 ICBMs from Algeria. Finally, a massive land-based bomber force of 80 (French) and 110 (NAF) UI-92 aircraft strike the city alongside naval aviation while 77 UI-9Is (NAF) provide escort fighter protection. A mix of large yield conventional and thermobaric weapons were employed in the massive bombardment. It would be an attack on a scale not seen since the Zackaroth-Orostan war, or even on a level since the American-Soviet War. Even while the massive firestorm engulfs the target, the political ramifications begin to ripple across the French Confederation...