Svobodna Dnevnik

[Hadash]

El Correo Internacional

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New Galasia: Decisive battle continues without a clear winner
By: Asia Galianus
Published: Ochtyr 14, 1582


Many Nova Tairal neighborhoods have already suffered irreparable damage.

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The multifaceted Galasian civil war is facing its more deadly days, after rival forces fight for the control of Nova Tairal, the second largest city in the eastern region of Eastmarch. The Galasian civil war started three years ago and, according to the Rojadavi Council of Human Rights, casualties reached 180,000 last month. But that number may experience a sudden increase as 400,000 civilians -those remaining of the 941,000 inhabitants before the conflict- are trapped inside, without much chance of leaving the city while the fight continues.

Initially under the control of the Rojadavi separatists between Elva 1579 and Septem 1580, the city was retaken by New Galasian forces but since the Council of National Unity took power in Alsace, the local leadership has remained in the control of monarchist officers who do not recognize the Alsace government and have the support -directly or indirectly- of regional governments such as Mestra and Angiris. While the monarchist forces in the north have increased their efficiency and expanded their territory considerably, they are suffering in their isolated territory they control in the southern regions and, since the Rojadavi Army took control of the only road that connects northern Eastmarch with the city, Nova Tairal. Lacking an air force, the monarchist forces have effectively faced an intense siege for two months.

Yesterday, there was an intense battle after which the separatist Rojadavi Army took control of three northeastern districts of the city. Monarchist forces had no option to withdraw to the central districts. The advance of the Rojadavi Army remains slow and prudent, as they do not seem wanting to suffer too many casualties, and it looks like they expect the enemy consumes itself.

Meanwhile, Akhadist militias had been attacking without break the monarchist forces from the south and east, after being reinforced through the Ustyaran border, according to witnesses. Ocassionally, the attack the Rojadavi separatist forces as well, but they seem aimed to take the city at any cost: experts agree that would be a boost for their propaganda efforts. Although they were only a minor faction a year ago, the Akhadist militias control today much of the southern border. They operate under an umbrella of groups, some of them predominantly local and other formed by mostly foreign fighters.

If Nova Tairal falls, the monarchist forces -who seemed to have experience their momentum only some months ago- will suffer a serious strategic setback. If the Rojadavi Army is not able to replace that vacuum, it is clear that no faction would be in a position to win the war by their own, and the Galasian civil war could continue for years without a clear winner.

New Galasian government in Alsace, however, doesn't look very concerned about that scenario. Their Air Force occasionally attacks all sides, with heavy but not too long airstrikes. The military-led Council of National Unity proclaims that the civil war will only end once the international community understand that the Alsace government is the only legitimate force in the country, and the only one able to restore sovereignty and order in all the territory. In recent weeks, Alsace's rhetoric against Angiris and Mestra has become more intense, which they accuse of supporting "terrorist forces" and "illegal supplying to non-state forces". However, it doesn't look that the New Galasian government is looking for a real confrontation with a foreign government, while relations with their other neighbor, the unstable Ustyara, remains cold at best, after Galasian Air Forces bombed alleged terrorist camps along the Ustyara-New Galasia border.

Meanwhile, the possibility of the biggest humanitarian catastrophe since the beginning of the war becomes increasingly distinct, with 400,000 people trapped inside the city, with rapidly shrinking medical supplies and declining stocks of food. Several districts of the city are already on a blackout, with no electricity and water available. According to some reports, nine days ago, Akhadist rebels took the Tomarah area, south of what remained of an air force base. But they still needed to advance another 3 kilometers to reach the central districts of the city, heavily protected by the monarchist forces. But if they keep advancing, the city could approaching to a deadly scenario, with the whole metropolitan area divided in three balanced areas -each of one controlled by the three main sides of the battle- with thousands of civilians without a place where to hide or escape.

That is a scenario that benefits no one - not the Rojadavi separatists, not the monarchist forces, and not even the Alsace government, and most of all, not eastern New Galasia's long-suffering people. But the civil war seems likely to continue for long, with the indifference of the international community.