Marinia Conflict

Alahanese troops after an operation near Parsmyra

* **Eurion Alliance** (Support Only)
	+ Lakaii
	+ Kedossia
	+ Paxallex
	+ Rheidon
	+ Mialath
* Marinian Police Force
* Marinian Militias
* **United League of Eurion** (Support Only)
	+ Seoatan
	+ Sandaria
* Jadununian Pirates
* Pacan Pirates

The **Marinia conflict**, or the **Reconquest of Marinia**, was a conflict that lasted a little over 6 months that was fought between Al'murtina and Alahana together with its allies. The conflict started over multiple diplomatic incidents of committed by both nations. Ultimately Alahana was the first one to mobilize its troops. The conflict would end in a victory for Alahana and the signing of the Treaty of Quadca where Marinia island, a historical territory of Alahana, would be returned to the victor.

## Prelude

### Diplomatic incidents

The tensions between the two nations rose when a freighter sailing under the Drigean flag but with mainly a Lisirrayan crew and an Alahanese captain together with an Alahanese maritime pilot hit a Naval mine after setting sail from the port of Lipeta which is located in Alahana. After an investigation by INTERCEPT it turned out the naval mine was of Al'murtanian origin and was a left over from the Second Eurion War.

This resulted in an official statement by Prime Minister Aeholt Enthpol from Alahana. He accused the Al'murtanian government for the incident because all nations were obliged to remove all land- and sea mines according to the Treaty of Adrilla signed by all nations. He said that the Al'murtanians failed to do so which would make them accountable for the incident.

The Al'murtanian government responded by saying that they didn't posses files on sea mine locations and the sheer number of sea mines used in the war, resulting in the inability to remove every single sea mine. They also stated that this was public knowledge that there were some leftover mines in the Reef Sea and that it was the responsibility of the ships pilot to not navigate through dangerous waters.

After this both nations started flinging insults at each other triggering the Al'murtanians to close the Alahanese consulate in Marinia and denying Alahanese passports into their country. The Alahanese government responded that they had no right to deny their citizens on land that is rightfully theirs, referring to Marinia island since Al'murtina didn't have any claims to the island which they conquered from Alahana since 1903 after the Marinian Invasion.

The Al'murtanian government responded by challenging Alahana into taking it back if they wanted it as a form of intimidation. This was not well received by anyone including the imperial allies such as Golithia, Kechi and Sandaria who could not condone Al'murtina for such statements and actions.

### International Security Organization Involvement

After this incident Alahana brought it up in ISO claiming that Al'murtina did not have any claims whatsoever over the islands and that the great majority of the island is of Alahanese ethnicity. They also stated that less than 8% speaks Saarreesh, which is the official Al'murtanian laguange, compared to the 89% that speaks Alahanese. And on top of that less than 12% follow the Al'murtanian enforced state religion of Edvantism compared to the 58% that officially follow
Famusm, the main religion of Alahana. They also brought up historical claims because Al'murtina has only been owner of the island for a little over 100 years.

So Alahana demanded for the islands to peacefully returned to them to avoid any conflict. The Security Council did not reach their 2/3 majority to enforce their demands. However the council recognized the strong Alahanese claim over the islands regarding cultural heritage, linguistic community, religion and historical background so the council recommend Al'Murtina to give back Marinia Island peacefully. Al'Murtina refused to do so.

### Withdrawal from the League

The imperial allies and other allies from the United League of Eurion condemned the Al'murtinian challenge towards Alahana to take military actions against them to draw them out. The League also said, in an official public statement, that they do not support the actions of their ally and would take the diplomatic solution if presented by one.

In a crisis meeting requested by the sultan of Al'murtina himself, Sultan Abar Aloch'ar, he demanded his allies to send military support to Marinia immediately in case of an Alahanese invasion of the island. The league members thought this to be very unlikely to risk total war for the island and denied the request and made a counteroffer to sell military equipment to the sultanate and to help dissolve the tensions peacefully and assist in the clearing of the mines to avoid another situation like this. The sultan blatantly refused this offer and announced to, temporarily, withdraw from the league.

In another public announcement of the league they condemned the impulsive action of the sultan and distanciated themselves from the actions made by Al'murtina, stating that they hoped for the sultan to think clearly again.

This put the gates wide open for Alahana to present Al'murtina with military sanctions and even military actions without fearing to much backlash of the league, even though the league doesn't have a mandatory mutual defense treaty.

### Blockade

Alahana mobilized their fleet around the island of Marinia especially around the grand port cities of Marinia and Parsmyra mainly to make a statement. Drones were spying on enemy positions while special forces where covertly operating on the island to gather support from local militias and para-military groups.

As could be predicted, Al'murtina was outraged by this military action and demanded for the Alahanese fleet to pull back. Member nations of the United League of Eurion, even though Al'murtina had temporarily withdrawn from this alliance, condemned the military action of Alahana and pushed for a diplomatic solution and threatened with diplomatic, economic and if need be, military sanctions against Alahana.

Alahanese emissaries promised Al'murtina to be able to withdraw all military and other movable assets belonging to the government in exchange for the full surrender of the island. This offer was declined and the defenders tried to break the blockade by just sailing through it. This is where the first shots of the conflict happened as the Alahanese warship *'ANS Avonstar'* sank an Al'murtanian corvette. Twenty-three people were killed and forty-five people where rescued and kept on the Alahanese flag ship.

## Conflict

### Declaration of war

Alahana had formally declared war on Al'murtina on 26 August 2007 stating that they fell they needed to reintegrate their lost lands back, quoting: *"The island of Marinia has been in foreign hands far too long. We have given them a chance to give back the lands that are rightfully ours but they refused to do so. They speak our language, not theirs; they follow our religions, not theirs; they have our ancestral roots, not theirs. If they can't see that those lands belong to Alahana by right then we must force them to see this for the good of the inhabitants now living under a foreign and oppressive government. We will save our brothers and sisters!"*

After the news of the war declaration went public the fleet and air force of Alahana started bombing key-military targets such as radar, military ports, and military airfields. Great caution was made to make sure that the bombings were not near any civilian targets.

The local militias and paramilitary groups that were gathered by the special forces started to provoke and wear out enemy forces and start a semi-guerilla war. There are a lot of pro-Alahana militias and paramilitary groups loyal to Alahana as the island is mainly of Alahanese ethnicity and speak their language. Power plants, military storage facilities and smaller towns were the first locations to be captured by Alahana.

### Alliance involvement

Soon after the first real shots were fired Alahana requested for alliance members to give support in this war. Since Alahana is not the defender in this war the members are not required to join on Alahana's behalf but five nations still joined the war in a support role, these nations are Lakaii, Paxallex, Rheidon, Kedossia and Mialath. The former would provide logistical support and the four latter ones would provide naval security of the Alahanese mainland. None of these nations would play an active combat role in this conflict to prevent a league counter action.

### League Involvement

The war was declared by Alahana so that would make Al'murtina the defender in the war. Although the League does not have a mutual defense treaty they are known to step in whenever an ally is attacked but since Al'murtina withdrew from the league they chose to not intervene.

Al'murtina requested to end its withdrawal from the league and requested league support in the conflict. They allowed Al'murtina back in their alliance but they decided to not actively operate in this conflict as they see this conflict started due to multiple provocations of their ally. They recommended to take a diplomatic approach during the diplomatic incident rather than an aggressive and challenging approach which was taken by the defender.

The league allies suggested to negotiate with Alahana for the *'Marinian Recognition Status'* so that Alahana had a little influence over it but military control of the island would remain in Al'Murtanian hands. This could have worked according to the president general of the league, Lurias Ateillius, because Alahana was just rolling their muscles and showing the world that they can still hold their own and enforce their demands.

When the provocations where in their climax and Alahana demanded the surrender of the island the allies suggested to concede the main bulk of the island but hang on to the strategically islands of the Kinderraines, Manta island and Lumtos island and other smaller islands on the west of Parsmyra. But the Al'murtanian government refused to start talks with Alahana and were prepared to fight a war for the island if need be. The league warned the Al'murtanian government that they would not support them if they would not heed this obvious last warning.

However the league did not intervene directly in the war over Marinia Island but rather blockaded the Kinderraine Islands, just south of the main island, and also the mainland, warning the alliance to not cross the line in the conflict. They also sanctioned Alahana economically by increasing tariffs of all strategic chosen products (products not easily purchased elsewhere) and to close all canals to military vessels. These canals are the Iris Canal, Deliye Canal and the Cayelor Canal.

### Invasion of Marinia Island

On the 12th October the alliance launched their first wave of troops near Dalacalar and a second wave near Kandari on the southern coast east of Kirika. The allied navy sailed to the port of Marinia where a detachment of the Al'murtanian fleet was stationed and launched their first attack. This attack was massively successful and the fleet stationed there was completely crippled. The fleet continued to the south of the island to block any hostile fleet to reach the island.

The total of 8,450 troops now stationed on the islands started their campaign to reconquer the island. The troops that landed near Kandari on the south of the island had an easy time since that region is surrounded by a scorching desert, the Marinian Desert. While the southern campaign was successful, the northern campaign was still ongoing. The city of Parsmyra was the first major city to be reconquered after Dalacalar. After this victory they only needed to reconquer the capital of the island, Marinia.

The capital city would take a lot longer to fall since Marinia was the home of the majority of the Al'murtanian forces on the island. But the militias that operated in the city had already wreaked havoc on the anti-armor and anti-air defenses of the city so that on the 5th December the first armored division could enter the city. The tanks paved the way for the armored divisions with APC's which contained infantry that could clear out all the buildings. After 4 days the defending force decided to surrender because of overwhelming odds and the lack of will to fight effectively giving control over the island to Alahana.

### Al'murtanian counter attack

On the 14th December the Al'murtanian fleet sailed toward the island but was intercepted by the fleet of the alliance. A brutal naval clash occurred about 200km south of Kirika. About 11 Al'murtanian warships were pitched in a lethal battle with about 32 alliance warships. The Al'murtanian fleet was quickly dealt with after which the alliance ships send out rescue craft to rescue the crew that survived.

After the latest naval clash in the war the alliance had free reign over the waters around the island and mainland Al'murtina. Alahana requested peace and in return the island would legally belong to Alahana which Al'murtina accepted after enormous pressure from their allies.

## Aftermath

The Treaty of Quadca was signed by both parties on 6 March 2008 and officially ended the Marinia Conflict. The treaty stated that Marinia Island and the surrounding islands of *Orolinet island, Linet island, Blooson island, Lumtos island and Manta island* would legally become Alahanese territory again but the *Kinderraine Islands* stay property of Al’murtina.

A large scaled anti-mine operation, ‘Operation Xantha’, would commence in both the Reef Sea and Ozuin Gulf using minesweepers from Al'murtina, Alahana, Paxallex, Mialath, Kedossia, Ardenia, Sandaria and Oculla. The operation has to be financed by Al’murtina in full.

This conflict also had a serious death toll of 2.830 military lives lost, of which 215 alliance soldiers and 2.615 Al’murtanian soldiers, making the loss of life on the Al’murtanian side much heavier. An additional 411 civilian lives were lost mainly due to bombardments and misfire of Alliance soldiers. And the material damage has been estimated at ± $500 million.