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Atrito National News Report

… and the Markian Conflict rages on. I’m Gareth Newman, and you’re watching AN News at ten.

~

Now we look to the southern border, to the conflict raging in the Itatia Territory and the New Republic of Markia. Be warned, some viewers may find this distressing.

The Military Intelligence Corps has verified the reports coming from southern Markia concerning the massacre and destruction of the village of Castaverde. The MIC report suggests that soldiers of “Cardona’s Legion” - the premier combat force of the Napasilian Army - attacked the small town at night, killing the guards and soldiers stationed there and rounding up the civilians. They then executed the remaining people, and a few hours later a missile levelled the village.

The report also suggests the reason for this abhorrent attack - that Castaverde was the hometown of Vittorio di Svaloia, current President and Dictator of the New Markian Republic. The MIC report theorises that the Napasilian attack on the village was an effort to attack di Svaloia’s psyche, to try to cause a failure of judgment.

Governments of the Atritoic region have condemned the massacre and the Napasilian government and army. David George’s government of Porspania has called it “the worst atrocity in modern Atrythonic history.” The Atriton government has mirrored this statement, calling upon the Napasilian monarch, Queen Carola II, to put an end to the meaningless and unnecessary violence. Napoleone di Velento, the Queen’s Chief Minister, has defended the actions of Cadorna’s Legion.

More on this story on ANN Foreign Service.

~

“Peter, what’s going on in South Markia?” the King inquired.

The Minister for Defence sighed. He had hoped that Edward would not bring up the ongoing Markia Conflict, which was tearing the southern (and non-Atriton) portion of Markia apart. It was a particularly brutal conflict; reports from intelligence officers in the region suggested that the Napasilian force, the Cabalian Legion of Legate-General Cadorna, was invading with no care for the civilian population. In fact, they had raided a civilian settlement, Castaverde, and utterly annihilated it. Intelligence suggested they did this to spite the leader of South Markia, Vittorio di Svaloia.

Peter Grey weighed up his options. He did not want Atrito to enter a military conflict so soon after the end of the Republican Rebellion. The Atriton Army was undergoing major structural and operational reforms, reforms that would have to be put on hold if they were to go to war. Furthermore, the populace were sick of conflict; half of the country had been under insurgent occupation for nine months, and the rest had to deal with the tensions of the Tsyemny Crisis. Reconstruction of the Newanchor Territory was only halfway done; it was clear to Peter that Atrito could not financially or politically afford a war.

But that would require me to lie to him, Peter thought. Edward, the King, had a strong sense of morality; he would not want to sit idly by whilst the Napasilian military committed war crimes against an Atritoic population. It did not help that the country was under high international scrutiny, with the Pembroke House Talks ongoing; how would the international community react if Atrito did not intervene to protect the South Markians from unwarranted aggression?

He shook his head. “The di Markia Regime was overthrown some time last year, replaced by revolutionary leader Vittorio di Svaloia. The Napasilians took the opportunity to invade, sending in Cadorna’s Legion. There have been reports of war crimes against the civilians.”

“What are we doing about this?” Edward pushed the Minister.

“Nothing at the moment, Sir. As you know, the Army is undergoing major reforms; it’s not ready for another conflict just yet. The Navy can’t help us this far in land, and the Air Force has little to offer in this regard. We’re stuck giving our diplomatic support for the time being.”

“Not good enough. We’ve got to do something more.” Peter could tell this was a big issue for Edward.

“We haven’t exhausted all our options yet, Sir. I do have an idea.” Let’s just hope it works.

“Oh?”

“The Porspanians have sent us a message, asking if we want to do a joint peacekeeping operation in the region. Obviously without our help, they’d have to march through Napasilia to get to South Markia, which is tantamount to an invasion; but if we let them push troops through the Atritian Highlands, they can get to South Markia to support di Svaloia’s forces. We could send some Marines along as military observers and advisors as well.”

Edward thought for a moment. “That’s… better. Send a message to Porspania, telling them we’ll let them through the Highlands and will be sending some RAMs to help out.”

“Of course, Sir.”