0415 HRS | 15TH MAY, 2018
TURKEY-KHATAIY BORDER, UNDISCLOSED COORDINATES
While the Red Cross-Allanean refugee camp started its daily routines, there was something unusual about the situation. Normally, the Turkish armed forces began early patrols along with UN peacekeepers near the border at 4 AM sharp. However, they were no where to be seen; there was much more activity from nearby airbases. Suddenly, a large convoy of a couple hundred vehicles ranging of size and amour broke through the border's walls. It surprised and frightened most of the refugees in the vicinity, and the UN peacekeepers were tasked to move them away from the border. An FBE correspondent, reporting and monitoring the refugee camp's quality was starstruck, and quickly pulled out his camera crew from the press tents.
"Jesus Christ, what the hell?! Get up, look out side!"
Kenny Rodriguez, the reporter in question, pulled a tent's entrance wide open, almost ripping it apart; "Ken, what the f--" "Yeah, look! You think those are Turkish troops?"
"Well, look," the cameraman points back, "they're flying the Turkish flag, it's obviously Turkish Armed Forces..."
"But, that equipment... I've never seen it before in Syria or Turkey--"
"What're you trying to prove here? I'm gonna get the camera"
They quickly sprinted towards the border wall's security checkpoint. It could've only been described as an organized chaos. Many soldiers followed the convoy; it was only a few moments before a storm of bullets pelted through the border gates, and quickly injures some of the FBE crew. In panic, they take refuge in one of the abandoned buildings just outside the wall. Just as quickly as they were struck by bullets, the storm died down, and the thundering sound of M1A2 Abrams, Bradleys, Foxhound LPPVs, and other copious amounts of armoured and logistical vehicles and tanks soon filled the eardrums of the passerby. The screams of K-22s soared through the sky
It was of course, not the Turkish Armed Forces, or at least the entire convoy wasn't. Freilibre had agreed in secret with Turkey to authorize a large land army-- something that Freilibre wasn't too keen on-- to secure parts of the border and northern Khataiy. The 7th, 8th, and 9th International Brigade attempted to secure the west, while the 2nd, and 19th attempted to secure parts of the east simultaneously in order to capture the centre. Freilibre was not usually experienced in a total land invasion. The last time it was attempted (with Russian support) was during the Second Indo-Freilibre War more than a decade ago. This time however, they had the logistical support of an ally, along with the confidence of NATO and the United Nations.
This was not an invasion, at least in Turkey and Freilibre's eyes, merely to "secure" the border, as said before. UN peacekeepers quickly followed the convoys, and patrolled the various small villages along the Mediterranean. The FBE press got security and escorts as quickly as they could to capture the extraordinary event. The convoy stopped about a few kilometres away from the border gates, and secured several more villages and abandoned housing. The group quickly experienced a full defensive from government forces, and several vehicles were bombarded with antiaircraft and artillery. K-22 aircraft continuously intercepted government aircraft and breached Khataiy airspace multiple times. As the FBE team continued filming, a Chinook landed in a secured LZ near the front lines, and several JSOF operatives came bolting out.
Sergeant Belmont, the commanding officer of the 2nd Gold squadron of the 2nd JSOF regiment, followed the team and breached a multitude of buildings within the village. "Sergeant, all clear," another JSOF operator said, while jogging towards him. "Good. Start setting up base. I want direct and constant contact with the Navy and Air force as soon as possible," Belmont replied, "those front lines are too shaky." The soldier stepped out of the building, and started off with the rest of his squadron. Turkish soldiers and Vraxuis mercenaries quickly provided logistics, and the base was promptly set up, along with communications with high command.
During the establishment of the commanding base, the 77th Mediterranean fleet's Saxa-class missile cruisers FCS Margret IXX and FCS Roeland started strikes against known military bases, information that was provided by the numerous "patrols" of AWACS and AEW&C Boeing E-3 Sentry and Saab Swordfish MPA aircraft before and during the civil war. The aerial reconnaissance missions before the civil war proved essential in carrying out this Freilibre-Turkish "fortification" of the Turkish border.
The resulting missile strikes struck a northern village near the new border lines and several anti-aircraft and SAMS were destroyed. Not all missiles hit their targets, and some resulted in the destruction of numerous houses and infrastructure. Meanwhile, the UN peacekeeping forces entered the newly secured border lines and started Red Cross missions across the area; setting up refugee camps and checkpoints that proved to be extremely helpful in the refugee crisis in the Turkey-Khataiy border. A peacekeeper from Russia started his day with the news of the events and the new drawing of borders. He began to write down his thoughts in his logs, something that he was ridiculed for-- it was the only way to ease tensions while seeing the madness of war: "Apparently the Turkish started to 'redraw' its borders-- I call it a devious invasion though. They have the moral high-ground too, setting up refugee camps and checkpoints within the new territory. Meanwhile Russian soldiers continue to back these terrorists in the other side. I don't know what to think anymore. While they send us out here for a noble cause of peacekeeping, we have no power to help these troops-- and the terrorists and thugs that we protect refugees from are the same ones we fund and supply."
Meanwhile, the FACD and Freilibre Armed Forces released a statement regarding the recent news of the Turkish "redrawing" its borders:
PRESS RELEASE
08/15/2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adélaïde, FACD; The Darkhall Building — The administrative of the Armed Forces of Freilibre, the Freilibre Administration for Commonwealth Defence, has issued a statement during the press conference of 15th May 2018 regarding the recent Turkish redrawing the Turkish-Khataiy border.
The Freilibre Administration for Commonwealth Defence Director Keith Herrington:
- "This is not an invasion. While we are actively open to discuss with the Khataiy governemnt, it was clear to both Turkey and Freilibre that there was no much-needed order in the midst of this civil war. While the Khataiy government has understandably fled to Qatar, several brigades have secured territories that extend a few kilometres away from the Turkish-Khataiy border on behalf of the government to establish peace and security for the many citizenry caught within the crossfire. As we speak, numerous refugee camps and checkpoints are being set up by UN peacekeepers inside this new occupied territory to attend to the injured, and to escort them out of the battlefield in the conflict.
Once again, this is not an invasion, and this was orchestrated under UN guidance and with the full support of an ally, Turkey. This is simply a redraw of borders in order to help refugees that were trapped in northern Khataiy. Freilibre will not be involved in this conflict unless the Turkish government deems fit to do so, under UNSC approval. The majority, if not all the troops that broke the border wall were Turkish Armed Forces, and were flying Turkish flags to be identified easily. The situation is currently under control, and government activity has since died out after the quick acquisition of land."
Press correspondent: "This is not an invasion? So Freilibre has troops in occupied territory of a sovereign nation, yet this is not an invasion?"
"Once again, the majority are Turkish soldiers, and they carry Turkish flags. Another thing, the government has proven itself to be incapable of providing security to its people and the maintenance of its sovereignty. We are simply working on behalf of their people to provide this needed security and peace. This was also to safeguard the refugee camps just along the border, that was constantly under threat of terrorist attacks and bombings."
Press correspondent: "What about the situation in the Khataiy-Syria border or the Turkish-Syria-Khataiy tri-border? Will Freilibre interfere with that too?"
"Not in the near future, no. There is simply too much activity in Syria right now, and many different opposing sides are there. It is simply too dangerous for our men to be deployed anywhere near that area without constant aerial reconnaissance or special operations."
Press correspondent: "Are there any JSOF SpecOps active in Khataiy that we are unaware of?"
"I cannot comment on behalf of our elite JSOF regiment. It is highly secretive and any speculation regarding their use in this civil war is false."
The Director answered more questions following the statement. A full documentation and the full press release can be found at the Freilibre Armed Forces website.