Sahara War

Location
 Causes

 **United States-Allies**

 Nigeria-Arewa
 Mali
 Algeria

**Military Support:**
 United States
Brazil (2119)
 **Mexican-Allies**

 Tuareg Union
 Tenere Republic

**Military Support:**

 Christopher Reagan
 Joaquín Andrade

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The **Sahara War** was an armed conflict between Nigeria-Arewa and the Tuareg Union. The war was partly the result of Mexican political engineering and long-standing geopolitical tension between the two combatants following the collapse of the MU and the reunification of Nigeria and Arewa. The United States and Brazil both saw limited action during the conflict, as both powers feared that victory by Mexican-backed forces would threaten the Agribusiness in the Sahara, while the US worried such a victory would force the US to split its forces in Europe to protect its North African allies Nigeria fall to the Tuareg.

## Background

### **Dissolution of the Mediterranean Union**

The Breakup of the Mediterranean Union created a power vacuum in the Sahara, a vacuum that the Tuareg Union and the newly reunified Nigera hoped to fill. The reunification of Nigeria and Arewa was a political coup executed by American diplomats when the wars in East Africa had only just begun. The hope was for Nigeria to be the base of power in West Africa, and to create the means for a Nigerian-Congolese-East African bloc that could secure US space elevator access in the region, along with all major trade routs to get those goods to market. For Mexico, this was unacceptable. It didn't take any prodding to get the Tuareg Union on board to oppose the Nigerians, and for close to a decade their forces stood at odds on a common border.

### **East-African Wars**

The East African Federation was an important anchor to American power in space as a host country for a space elevator ground-station. The US had spent decades providing economic support and military aide to keep the country together, but unlike Ecuador or Beanstalk's tower, the Uganda Tower was positioned several hundred miles inland. Mexican intelligence services saw East Africa as a prime target to cripple American power on Earth. By 2110, Mexico had successfully infiltrated the EAF ministries and media, and pushed the election of several regionalist candidates who exacerbated existing social tensions within the Federation between traditionalist forces and progressives.

By the middle of the 2110s the war in East Africa was starting to go in the American allies favor, and Mexico could not afford to send its own forces to the region. An additional distraction was required.

In 2117, the situation in East Africa was beginning to turn in the American favor. Kenyan nationalists were beginning to loose ground and the transit lines from the Uganda tower to the Indian Ocean were largely secure. Trade was re-established with the Kush Republic, and US forces engaged in the region were beginning to talk about an armistice.

## Course of the war

### **Nigerian-Tuareg Border Skirmishes**

That year, Mexico's GPS network experienced an unforeseen malfunction and Tuareg troops on regular patrols accidentally crossed into Nigeria 's Northeast province. By the time their navigational system was reestablished they'd found themselves behind Nigerian lines and facing a Nigerian armored battalion to their North. During the chaos, several soldiers claimed that Nigeria was invading Tuareg territory over their communications to command. By the time the mistake had been rectified, the Tuareg had pushed 10 kilometers inside of Nigerian territory, and Nigerian drones had struck the Tuareg military positions and supply lines north of the border.

### **Hausa-Azawad Rebellions**

With Nigeria gaining ground in the second year of the war, Mexican operatives began to encourage political distension among the wealthier factions of the Hausa in the regions bordering Lake Chad. However, similar sentiments had already begun to spread in the Azawad region of the Tuareg Union. When the Hausa rose up, Azawad did as well, and one rebellion along the border between both nations became two, and suddenly the Nigerian military found themselves trapped behind two enemy lines. The war began to devolve after that, the few forces in Nigeria available to fight the Hausa were unable to stop the spread of sectarianism at home, while more and more rebel groups began to emerge in response to the Government's refusal to surrender.

### **Mali enters the War**

After two years of civil war, the Brazilians decided it was time to make their own move and deployed a division of their own forces to aid their allies in Mali to push into Azawad and secure Tombouctou. Mexico began to respond to US calls for a ceasefire, and after the Arewa Coup, they had it. The Treaty of Tripoli was signed in a matter of days, as the Junta in Arewa simply wanted a return of its troops who were trapped in Azawad and Tuareg territory. Nigeria was left in pieces.

## Aftermath

While Mexico's attempt to break up the US-Alliance system in the Sahara succeeded, it ultimately proofed more costly than either side had expected. The Tuareg Union was facing an internal civil war, and while Nigeria was no divided it had left a dangerous power vacuum in Sub-Saharan Africa. Brazil ultimately gained the most with its proxies in Mali expanding into former Tuareg territory and creating an Azawad buffer between themselves and the rump Tuareg Federation. The war weakened the American position in North Africa, but did little to advance Mexico's cause. The allies they gained were divided and in no position to reverse their fortunes in East Africa. Most troubling was the degree of success Brazil had with their alliance system and their treatment as an equal player at the negotiating table.