APwire ~ Affiliated Press News Agency

[Batavië]

Skirmishes Outside Spa Put Doubt on Ceasefire
AP, Emyr Arnen

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The 3 Batavian crew members of the M84 were killed

Violence erupted near the tentative ceasefire line today in a suburb outside of Spa. A Batavian Ground Force M84 tank was patrolling the downtown neighbourhood of a large suburb when it began to receive small arms fire from a cluster of residential buildings. The tank and its accompanying infantry squad returned fire.

After a ten minute gunfight the tank was struck with a sophisticated bazooka-like weapon not manufactured or used by the Batavian military. Analysts suspect that this BRA cell was receiving arms from abroad most likely before the government-imposed siege began almost two months ago.

Reinforcements from a nearby company were brought in and the BRA unit appeared to have fled. All three crew members of the tank were pronounced dead at the seen of the attack. Vlaanderen said that unless a clear explanation was received from BRA leaders in Spa by tomorrow evening, the ceasefire would be considered broken and raids on Spa would resume 'at double the previous intensity and amount.'

Leaders in Spa released no messages at the time of reporting. Nearly all domestic press in the country has been halted for unknown reasons. The last printing of the state-run newspaper was weeks ago and television and radio broadcasts are increasingly rare.

The Council of Nation's Security Council has nearly passed a resolution to authorise a peacekeeping force for this stressed part of the world but it could come too late for the civilians trapped in the middle.

As one man brave enough to speak to the Associated Press said, 'Luckily this conflict is concentrated in the north where the population density is nothing like the south. But the government is collapsing and basic services are being delayed or halted by all of the confusion. Everyone is suffering and the CN is proving to be nothing more than a talk-shop. Shame on them.'

 

[Wazistan]

Violence flares in Wazistan as opposition figure re-emerges
AP International

Heavy clashes have been reported in the southern Wazi city of Ramadi between security forces and a powerful Arab militia, a sign that tension between the country's Islamic rulers and rebels remains high following a massive crackdown by the government against political opponents. According to a report posted on the popular opposition Nawaz website, the fighting erupted after security forces stormed the offices of a local Sunni tribal leader in an attempt to arrest his son for unspecific crimes.

The son is reportedly a commander in the Tanzim militia and close ally of the group's popular leader Khalid Razak Ahmad.

Shortly after the incident, Tanzim gunmen attacked the home of the ruling party's top official in Ramadi, killing his brother and several others. The killings spark a four-hour gun battle in the streets that left more than 12 dead and dozens more injured.

Widely popular on the streets, Ahmad and the Tanzim have been a constant challenge to the government since it was formed in the late 1980s. In 1999, an uprising by Tanzim fighters in southern Wazistan saw more than 200 killed before a extensive government crackdown saw much of the Arab heartland devastated. Following the failed revolt, Ahmad and many of his top commanders were arrested and sentenced to death, though they were eventually freed from custody under peace deal signed in 2004.

However, in recent months top Tanzim leaders have accused the government of backtracking on many of its commitments. Ahmad was reportedly outraged over the massive security crackdown on political dissidents by the government earlier this month, including the arrest of opposition leader Jamal Bishara.

The new flare up in violence between the government and Tanzim comes as a top opposition leader issues his first public statement since going into hiding. Posted on his official website, which has been blocked in many parts of the country, Payan Kasravi condemned the government's "massacre" of political opponents and demanded the release of all political prisoners and the withdrawal of security forces from the streets.

Kasravi also called on the international community to press the Islamic establishment to end its crackdown and open dialogue with opponents.

 

[Frescania]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We call on Ijad to start dialogue with the opposition and end the violence that is casing thousands to die and flee Wazistan. The Republic wants to see peace and democracy to prosper in Wazistan, but the current violence will only generate more problem for everyone.

 

[Batavië]

BREAKING NEWS: Café Bombing in Central Vlaanderen; At Least 18 Dead
AP, Emyr Arnen

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Rescue workers arrived quickly to the scene of a BRA bombing

Downtown Vlaanderen, right on the edges of the heavily fortified Government District, was a chaotic nightmare this afternoon after a large bomb ripped through a crowded café. The Place Champagne, a Montelimaran themed café frequented by police, soldiers, SV officers and Elite civilians was torn to bits by what officials are calling an act of terror from the Batavian Republican Army.

Located around the corner from both a police station and fire station, first responders were on the scene in less than a minute, many having heard and scene the explosion which shook buildings all around the central districts of the city.

A radio despatch originating in the BRA-held city of Spa contained the voice of a BRA spokesman who said that the organisation claimed full responsibility for the attack calling it 'a regrettable but necessary act of defiance.'

Political analysts that specialise in Batavië said that the BRA appears to be frustrated with the extremely slow pace of the CN. 'They wanted to take matters into their own hands and send a clear message that they will not wait any longer; they want action to be taken.'

The official government newspaper has not been in print for over two weeks and the bombing was not mentioned on the evening radio bulletins, currently the only source of official news reports. Rescue workers have so far counted 18 dead but it is estimated that some 30 people were in the café, most attached to some branch of law enforcement or other government agency.

'They struck a government locale, not a typical civilian one like their last bombing in November when they hit a grocery store. They might do this again and it appears that their reach extends far beyond their territorial possessions in the North.'

News of the bombing reached Hilversum, a city northeast of the capital near the border with Arendaal. Small riots broke out between police and BRA supporters but reports of civilian groups protesting the bombing were also noted.

The CN has yet to formulate a final peacekeeping proposal despite the passing of a Security Council resolution calling for one.

 

[Batavië]

Drive-by Shooting Kills Two Batavian Police Officers
AP, Amyr Arnen

A mere day after a deadly café bombing in Vlaanderen, three gunmen driving in an unmarked van shot and killed two Batavian Metropolitan police officers standing guard outside a station in the city centre. The gunmen were cornered by a police caravan and a half hour shoot out commenced in the central districts of the city with hundreds of onlookers. The AP spoke with a witness of today's chaos.

'I was on my way home from work when I head the two tone sirens of the police. A van whizzed by at high speeds, baked suddenly and three men with machine guns jumped out. About ten police officers and these three other men fired at each other for at least thirty minutes until the gunmen were killed by sharpshooters. This is madness.'

The mayor of Vlaanderen has ordered increased patrols and vigilance for all police and military units in the city; a curfew is also being considered. Meanwhile the death toll in yesterday's BRA bombing of a café frequented by police and soldiers has risen to 22 and could increase as crews shift through the rubble.

Metropolitan Police authorities said in a new conference today that the three gunmen killed in today's shoot out were BRA insurgents carrying membership cards in their wallets. BRA paraphernalia and literature was also found in their van. It is indeed possible that checkpoints and curfews may be introduced in the city if BRA attacks continue.

The CN has yet to convene its first plenary meeting after passing a resolution calling for a peacekeeping force.

 

[Wazistan]

Crisis groups warn Wazistan "on verge of chaos."
AP International

International experts warned Wednesday that Wazistan could be on the verge of total collapse, pointing to signs of the government weakening grip on power and the rise of ethnic and sectarian militias. In an extensive report unveiled in neighboring Frescania, the International Crisis Management Group accused the government of "actively promoting" radical religious irregular forces to quell rebel factions and restoring to a campaign of "state terrorism" to harass political dissidents, human rights organizations, and other NGOs operating in the country.

The report warned the government's increasing insecurity about its own position has led authorities to increasing turn to radical Islamist groups for support. The group names in particular the Bahj Islamic Movement, an alliance of powerful Shiite militant groups that has increasing taken an active role alongside security forces to tackle the separatists in the East.

ICMG president Marco Clark says it now appears the Bahj, which is led by a radical cleric named Mohammad Ahmad Yazad, is also being called in to deal with political dissidents and their supporters.

ICMG says the increasing militarization of the country's security forces, reportedly dominated by ethnic Persian and Pashtuns, have prompted other ethnic and religious groups around the country to begin forming their own civilian militias for protection.

The report says such steps are a worrying sign in a country that historically has seen tense relations between its ethnic groups and warns violence is a real possibility.

 

[Batavië]

Government Collapses in Batavië, Military Steps In
AP, Emyr Arnen

The state-run newspaper was printed for the first time in weeks today alerting the populace that the Politburo members of Batavië had fled the country and that the military was now completely in charge. Quickly initiating martial law and city curfews, tanks, troop carriers and increased police patrols were quickly assembled and sent in to instil a sense of calm in the country. The transitional government has scheduled elections for 12. March, a remarkably early date considering the country has not held a national election since the communists took power in the 1950s.

The Council of Nations was still, according to the military government, authorised to develop its peacekeeping plans and election monitors were also formally invited to observe and assist with the election process. What some people are calling a coup and others a necessary step to fill a power vacuum, one thing is clear: massive change is embracing this once tightly controlled country.

Four BRA attacks occurred in the capital, Vlaanderen, today. A café was bombed targeting SV officers and a handful of police officers were killed while on patrol and while guarding entrances to police stations. Hilversum also was home to a gunned down police officer. The military powers in control said that citizens in the North should remain at home as military operations against the BRA are apparently set to continue after the BRA broke the week-long ceasefire. Undercover reporters said that military activity around Spa is increasingly busy since the announcement of the government change and they are certainly preparing for an operation, possibly to enter the city.

The Council of Nations has not released a statement on this breaking news and the Security Council still dithers having made no steps whatsoever to organise a peacekeeping force. Major powers and regional ones alike have also not commented on the transitional government's takeover. With only three weeks until the elections yet another, but more expected, change will ocurr in this increasingly confused country of 27 million people.

 

[Batavië]

BRA Group Leader Arrested in Hilversum
AP, Emyr Arnen

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The unnamed man was transported to a detention centre by the National Police

After a week of seemingly never ending BRA shootings and bombings (an average of 2,6 per day since Monday) the National Police made an arrest in the southern city of Hilversum. The BRA suspect was attempting to purchase medical supplies at a pharmacy for treating gunshot wounds, illegal since the transitional military government came to power without a permit. The man, identified only as a regional group leader, admitted to being a member of the BRA upon arrest.

Hilversum has so far been spared from BRA bombings, cafés being their favourite targets. Yet the city has experienced a handful of deadly shootings of police officers and soldiers on patrol. National Police suspect that this man was trying to treat the gunshot wounds of one of the gunmen under his command. The BRA, based in the northern city of Spa, has neither confirmed or denied the confession made by the man.

Meanwhile, in Vlaanderen, a group of BRA sympathisers gathered in the streets in one of the central districts. They began to throw stones and molotov cocktails at a Metropolitan Police checkpoint. Water canon lorries were brought in to disperse the crowd. Two arrests were made.

 

[Wazistan]

APNewsBreak: Wazistan president, top party officials to resign
AP International

Wazi President Hamid Najibullah is expected to announce he stepping down from his post just weeks before his term is due to expire, dealing what could be a significant blow to the country's embattled Islamic establishment. Opposition websites are reporting Najibullah, the most senior non-cleric within the government, has become increasing disillusioned with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mahmoud Esfandiari and the hardline policies of the clerical establishment towards dissidents and the opposition.

Aside from the presidency, Najibullah is also expected to resign with several other top officials from the ruling Revolutionary Democratic Party. Najibullah maintains a seat of the party's powerful Politburo and has been a member of the Central Committee since the late 1980s.

There has been no comments on opposition reports from the presidency or Esfandiari's office.

 

[Serenierre]

Queen Diana I issues apology to Kingdom of Oltremare
AP Paris

[img2]albumid=85&pictureid=1400[/img2]​

Office of HM The Queen
Chateau de Charbonne​

The Kingdoms of Belmont and Oltremare have a long common history which, sadly and most unfortunately, has been stained by the blood of millions. Excesses of the past, under the banner of Christ, have not been forgotten, nor should they be. But I, on behalf of my people and my nation, ask the people of Oltremare to forgive the role my country played in the crusades against the Kingdom of Oltremare. While the excesses can not be brushed aside, I do hope that our two peoples move together for a prosperous future together.

Diana R.
HM The Queen of Belmont​

 

[Confederal Republics]

Wife of imprisoned Anbati ex-Governor leaves country
AP Phezzan/AP Nürnberg

As the Anbati government continues its trial of entrepreneur and ex-Governor Fouad Moukattaf for charges of tax evasion, the former governor's wife Marie Moukattaf has reportedly left Anbat for Franken, where the Moukattaf family owns a skiing villa.

In a statement released to the Associated Press, the lawyers of the Moukattaf family cited a number of "anonymous death threats" against her person and the recent death of his brother-in-law Assembly Deputy Yaqub Moukattaf as reasons for her departure from Anbat. Ahmad al-Fares, the head of the family's team of lawyers, said that "as long as certain elements posed a threat to Mrs. Moukattaf's wellbeing and personal safety, she would not be able to defend her husband and other members of her family appropriately" and had thus decided to leave Anbat for the time being.

In addition, anonymous sources affiliated with the Moukattafs have stated that Mrs. Moukattaf intends to hire independent investigators to research the circumstances behind the death of her brother-in-law, Deputy Yaqub Moukattaf, who was reported to have committed suicide over a week ago in Phezzan. Though the Anbati authorities have ruled his death as a suicide, Marie Moukattaf and several other supporters of the Moukattaf family have questioned this conclusion.

The Anbati Ministry of Justice was quick to decry Mrs. Moukattaf's decision to leave the country as an attempt to evade prosecution for her family's activities. The Anbati government has previously frozen a large number of assets belonging to members of the Moukattaf family, but family members are said to have offshore possessions.

The case of former governor Fouad Moukattaf and his associates is a highly controversial one. Many opposition activists and foreign commentators have suggested political motivations behind the prosecution, particularly since Moukattaf was notable as an independent Governor of the Qamar Governorate and there were rumors that he was planning a move to national politics before his arrest.

 

[Wazistan]

Wazistan arrests former president, political allies
AP International

Wazi security forces carried out arrested dozens of political officials in and around Ijad late Friday, including the country's former president and a former top party official, opposition officials have reported. The popular reformist website Nawaz says Hamid Najibullah was detained after arriving at Ijad's Yassin International Airport to board a flight to neighboring Levant and was taken to a military base for questioning. Najibullah, a technocrat who often clashed with the country's Islamic leadership, abruptly resigned from the presidency and his post in the ruling party earlier in the day after blasting the clerical regime's repressive policies.

Along with Najibullah, sources say several officials who also quit the ruling RDP today were also detained, including the former first secretary Omid Keshavarz.

Analysts say the arrest underscores the growing unease among the clerics over Najibullah's resignation, fearing his departure will embolden the country's opposition. While there was no sign that Najibullah had any contact with any opposition leaders, many whom remain in hiding after this month's deadly crackdown, Najibullah associates have spoken privately that the former president would likely meet representatives of the main opposition Wazi People's Democratic Organization when he arrived in Levant.

State media in Wazistan have yet to even acknowledge Najibullah's resignation and officials refused to comment on his reported arrest.

 

[Congress Aresura]

King of Oltremare Accepts Belmonten Apology
AP Corpus Christi

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Office of HMSM The King
Palazzo di Re​

It takes great courage for any man or woman, by themselves or as a group, to admit mistakes and ask for forgiveness, be they recent, or long in the past, be they minor incidents, or major events. But I believe it takes a great deal more, to forgive those mistakes and endeavor to repair any relations damaged previously.

Therefore, I, King Francesco Ceretto VII, on behalf of the Most Serene Kingdom of Oltremare and all her people, forgive the Kingdom of Belmont for the crimes they have committed against the Oltremaren people. We in Oltremare shall never forget these crimes, nor should we, but no good can come from also never forgiving these crimes and the descendants of those who committed them, if they too are willing to ask for forgiveness.

Let us, therefore, put aside hate and mistrust, and work towards repairing the severe damages done to our relations. Let us make this generation the last to hate all others for their faith and past crimes. Let us build a better tomorrow, today.

Francesco Ceretto VII
HMSM The King of Oltremare

 

[Wazistan]

Wazi militant cleric calls for execution of top opposition leaders
AP International

A top cleric called on the judiciary to execute the country's top opposition leaders Monday, accusing them of leading an "unholy" crusade against the country's Islamic principles and "the will of God." Analysts says the remarks by Ayatollah Ali Mahdhavi Kashani, who made his remarks in a speech to clerics in Rabat, points to a hardening stance among the clerical establishment against jailed opposition leader Jamal Bishara ahead of his trial this week. Senior opposition leaders immediately condemned the remarks as "provocative" and called on the country's judicial officials to ensure Bishars received a fair trial.

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Kashani: Those that have failed to repent must be "exterminated."

The offices of President Jawad Ibrahim Massoud and Judiciary chief Kamil Ali al-Kaylani declined repeated calls for comment.

While holding no formal post in the government or the clerical leadership, Kashani is considered one of the most powerful behind-the-scene figures in the Islamic Republic. The 71-year old cleric is considered the spiritual leader of the powerful Bahj militia, which has been called in by the government to crackdown on opposition activists, and his sermons' are usually seen as reflecting the thoughts of the Islamic Revolutionary Armed Forces.

However, even among the conservatives of the Islamic establishment, Kashani is seen as a hardliner. He openly speaks out against the limited trappings of democracy under the Islamic Republic and repeatedly attacks the Revolutionary Democratic Party has being "un-Islamic." He has argued in favor in the past of executing politicians seen as supporting the country's rebel movements and bombing countries suspected of harboring them.

 

[Batavië]

Political Campaign Flourishes in Batavië
AP, Emyr Arnen

Despite democracy never being attempted in this country in its entire history, it seems to have found a way to flourish very quickly. Bright, glossy campaign posters have been plastered across building walls and bus stops. The radio waves are abuzz with thirty second sound-bites of formerly nobody politicians who are now trying to convince the democracy-starved people to vote for their news political parties.

Surprisingly to many political scientists that specialise in Batavian government, only about five political parties have been formed. The incumbent party, the Bataafsche Arbijders Partij, is running for parliamentary seats, but is expected to lose most, if not all, of their current 85 per cent majority.

While democracy fever seems to have taken over the country, the sad reality of violence remains. Two police officers were stabbed to death in the capital this morning, their bodies left in the gutter for the public to see. The Batavian Republican Army, having launched a nation-wide campaign to target police, SV officers and soldiers, has launched on average over 3 attacks per day, including café bombings frequented by the Elite and government classes.

The fight goes on, but hopefully with the 12 March elections approaching soon the country can take a new step forward.

 

[Wazistan]

Massive blast rocks western Wazi city, hundreds reported dead
AP International

More than 150 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded after a massive truck bomb exploded in the western city of Kifa, municipal health officials have confirmed. Police sources in the province have told the Associated Press that the bomb, which went off in an affluent Christian neighborhood in the south of the city, appear to be targeting several buildings that house the offices Ministry of Interior's Central Investigative Services. One source says two buildings collapsed while a third was heavily damaged.

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The attack in Kifa is sure to stoke tension between the govt. and opposition

Kifa Governor Ahmed Qassim Atta condemned the attack and appealed for calm.

While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, many suspect the attack was carried out by militants with ties to the Tanzim militia. In a posting on their website last week, Tanzim commanders warned it would unleash its bombers into other parts of Wazistan if the government failed to released detain opposition leader Jamal Bishara by Tuesday. Until now, much of the Tanzim's activities have been concentrated in the south of the country, home to the country's large Sunni Arab population.

It is unclear why Tanzim chose to attack Kifa, which is not considered a stronghold of the Islamic establishment.

The bombing comes as analysts believe the government is preparing to try Bishara, a move that analysts warn could leave to major violence if the 69-year old leader is sentenced to death.

 

[Hesperia]

Diwan of Foreign Affairs

Hajr decries the loss of innocent lives in Wazistan and calls upon the Ijad regime to cease its destructive actions and work together with the international community to bring renewed peace and stability to the country.

 

[Frescania]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We urge actions be taken against such extreme members of society that only want to bring about the downfall of the state.

 

[Wazistan]

New clashes in central Wazistan as state prepares for Bishara trial
AP International

Human rights groups and non-governmental organizations have reported new clashes between government militiamen and Tanzim gunmen in central Wazistan, a new sign that tension in the Islamic Republic is rising ahead of the trial of opposition leader Jamal Bishara. Human Rights Monitor, a leading human rights group in Wazistan, reports heavy fighting in Rashaya, a Sunni-dominated city 100 miles south of Ijad, and that the public have been advised by local gunmen not to stay off the streets "for their own safety.

In the town of Jbeil, Tanzim militants vandalized several Persian graveyards and attacked a local Persian community center. Similar incidents have also been reported in Fars, Amarah and Balad.

The fighting comes as the Associated Press has learned from multiple sources that preparation for Bishara's trial have been completed and that the respected opposition figure could be placed on trial as early as tomorrow. International experts have warned that the country could descend into chaos if Bishara is sentenced to death, a move analysts now say appears all but certain.

 

[Batavië]

Leader of Batavian Social Democrats Unveils Post-Communist Plan
AP, Emyr Arnen

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Alex de Jonghe, leader of the Batavian Social Democrat Party

The Batavian Social Democrats laid out their general manifesto today in Vlaanderen. Party leader, Mr Alex de Jonghe, stressed his post-communist economic plans. At the forefront of his manifesto is to invite large-scale foreign investment and to capitalise on what the country and people has to offer. Also in the manifesto was a note to grant greater political and civil freedoms. In short, the Associated Press would no longer be banned from operating within the country or even from setting up permanent offices.

Mr De Jonghe spoke of investing heavily in the oil and natural gas industry saying that 'we have enough gas and also oil off our shores to profit from, but we need the technology and the specialists to do it.'

The shipbuilding industry would get special attention along with mining on Windhoek Island which is known to have large amounts of iron ore and copper as well as coal. And, of course, the agricultural industry would be partially privatised under this manifesto to 'keep Batavië as the bread basket of Scania and indeed the West.'

Supporters were enthusiastic, but the question and answer session was cut short when security recommended the Party officials vacate the area after a BRA shooting took place just three blocks away. Mr De Jonghe heard the shots himself and his last statement he made before departing was also in line with his presentation: 'Terrorists will not be tolerated but diplomacy will.'