Luthori

[Ligbruderkrieg]

Heavy fighting dominated the skies of Chukyo today as Luthorian forces moved to secure the embassy. Following the seizure of the Luthorian embassy by pro-government forces on February 8th, the Luthorian government announced its “refusal” to negotiate with the pro-government militias which had taken the compound. Their ultimatum, demanding Luthorian intervention in the withdrawal of Egelian troops from the International Airport. Failure to do so would result in the summary execution of the embassy staff; the 12 remaining Luthorian marines stranded and taken as POWs inside the embassy complex and other civilians, victims of this act of unheard aggression towards a neutral power.  

The Luthorian Empire had maintained an official position of “neutrality” in relation to the conflict, deciding to not take sides and call for a peaceful and quick resolution of the conflict. Even as the Kingdom of Egelion and the Kingdom of Vanuku both unilaterally intervened in New Verham, the Luthorian position remained the same old “non-interventionist” position drafted by former Foreign Secretary Learmouth at the outbreak of the civil war in the Dovani nation. The capture of Luthori’s embassy in Chukyo marked a turning point in Luthorian foreign policy, with the Prime Minister using a violent “warhawk” tone to refer to the seizure, refe rring to pro-government militias as “terrorists” and vowing to “take back” the embassy “regardless of the consequences”. 

Today, it has been reported that at 1:31 pm, gunfire was heard at the location of the Luthorian embassy, witnesses stated having seen numerous helicopters closing on the site of the embassy prior to the attack. Luthorian authorities would later confirm that these helicopters were AP-44 transport helicopter used in the Imperial Luthorian Army. The Imperial Marines’ 12th Company “Springbird” launched a brazen assault into the compound, aiming at driving out the insurgents from the embassy and restoring order to the nearby streets to assure its security. The first wave of attack was launched by 30 Marines, who, by the account of numerous witnesses, entered the compound through the roof’s emergency exit and by the first floor’s windows.  

The main objective was to avoid the unnecessary killing of innocents, guaranteed by the terrorists if their demands weren’t met by the Luthorian government. A group of 15 soldiers entered the embassy to find the location of the hostages, which were held by a group of 6 armed terrorists in guard duty on the second floor. Following a shootout between the two groups, the official casualties as declared by the Luthorian government was that all terrorists tasked with the surveillance of the hostages had been eliminated by Luthorian Marines and all hostages were rescued, with only 1 Marine being lightly injured. 

For the rest of the embassy, another group of 15 Marines, then joined by the second wave of attack (30 Marines) on the ground floor at 1:47 pm were tasked with clearing up the perimeter and securing it until reinforcement came to dissuade potential brazen insurgents. A long shootout of 45 minutes ensued, throughout the embassy, where the insurgents tried desperately to hold the area among the rapid and clean offensive of the Luthorian Marines. In total, among the 60 Marines sent in the area, only 3 were slightly injured, while among the insurgents, at least 62 have been killed and 41 have been taken as prisoners (POWs). In the first draft of the plan released by the Luthorian General Staff, it was planned, that because these Marines were facing an enemy superior in numbers, that the rest of the 12th Company (composed of 22 soldiers) was to come in and finish off the fight. 

The following plan was then promptly modified due to the technological and structural superiority of Luthorian armed forces compared to the disorganised pro-government militias. Reports now states that the Luthorian Embassy has been totally secured and reconquered by Luthorian armed forces. The Luthorians also linked up with the Egelian Armed Forces at Chukyo International Airport (currently occupied by Egelion) to ensure the safe transfer of civilians to the airport. 

The Luthorian government announced that a special program of direct flights between the Fort William International Airport and the Chukyo International Airport to ensure the safe travel of refugees fleeing New Verham through Luthori’s national air corporation, Luthori Airlines. The Luthorian Embassy in Gemun (Bianjie Khanate) has stated being in contact with the Bianjie Government to provide for a shorter route of evacuation, changing the itinerary from Fort William towards Gemun. The Luthorian government has stated, that in line with current policies of different foreign governments that their nationals evacuated in Luthori would then be directly sent to flights towards the country of origin. 

Prime Minister Cameron Seddon stated in a post in social media regarding the successful military operation in New Verham to be “a great day in the defence of Luthorian interests and the protection of Luthorian nationals throughout the World.”. The Foreign Secretary, the Earl of Stewart stated that “Luthori once proved that terrorists cannot dictate her policy”, for his part, the Defence Secretary, the civilian head of the Department of Defence John Myers stated his and the Armed Forces’ “great satisfaction at the clean, short military operation” that led to the liberation of the Luthorian embassy in Chukyo. 

The Prime Minister also took time to thank the Bianjie Khanate for its “steadfast collaboration”, contributing at large at the success of the operation. The Bianjie Government agreed at letting Luthorian troops to use its territory as a launching point towards New Verham. Luthorian troops used Bianjie as a launching point for their operations, using one of the Bianjie armed forces’ military airport as refuelling point and one where Luthorian troops could safely change aircraft before the operation’s beginning. 

Today, the Luthorian Embassy is guarded by 90 brave troopers, and the safe evacuation is aimed at being restarted soon, according to Ambassador Walker Shorten. 

(Published on February 11, 5700, on LBC World Service in Kunikata - translated in Luthorian)