Istrenyan Crisis

The 1959 Istrenyan Civil Crisis, also known as the First Istrenyan Civil War or the Malentine Crisis was an armed rebellion by the National Instrenyan People's Front (NIPF) during the 20th century between 1959-1961 in the Southern Cronan nation of Istrenya.

Inspired by other socialist movements during the same decade, it began in April 1959 when a pair of Arcer diplomatic officials were assaulted by a mob, angered over recent increases in tariffs on Istrenyan agricultural exports to the Occidental nation. Heavy-handed responses by the national police and security forces led to more civilian and military deaths, as well as a continued escalation in the riots. Formal complaints by the Arcer government to the Istrenyan President's office resulted in a severe scalation in 1960, and with continued attacks on Occidentals, the Arcer government formally issued a notice to the Istrenyan government that it would conduct a military intervention to stabilise the situation.

By 1961, the crisis had stabilized, and the Arcer government was able to close its embassy and consulates in Istrenya, as well as withdraw the joint military task force it had deployed to the region. In the crisis' wake, the Istrenyan government managed to remain in power with assistance from the Office of Public Safety and National Security.

Background
Istrenya was never under direct colonial rule from any Levantine or Sarpedonian nations, however mercantile influence had often relegated it to inconsistent economic growth and recurring bouts of recession and economic strife. Traditionally the maritime economy Istrenya enjoyed was primarily based on fishing, simple agriculture, and raw mineral and natural resource extraction, however with the expansion of modern Occidental corporations in the 19th and 20th centuries, these companies grew to inherit large amounts of influence over the Istrenyan government. Most prominent amongst these were corporations from Arcerion, located directly across from Istrenya across the Warrington Strait and Malentine Sea. Following the end of the Second Great War and the rise of decolonization amongst many smaller Indigenous nations and their colonies, Istrenya saw a rise of socialist and liberal movements aimed at toppling the existing Populist government under President A'kale Treo.

Increased activity amongst Indigenous peoples promoting Indigenous Nationalism had spread from Varshan into South Crona, with similar movements occurring in Porlos and Kelekona. During the Second Great War, Indigenous nations reinforced their neutral positions by refusing to allow many warships and airplanes from Arcerion and other Allied nations from using their facilities. It was assessed that communist and syndicalist sympathizers, foreign fighters, and ideological radicals from other Indigenous nations moved to Istrenya anticipating a much larger conflict, however the limited political success in the 1958 Istrenyan Elections meant that there was a limited perceived legitimate political base for liberal and socialist thought, and the majority of the dissidents were native Istrenyans.

Crisis
In April of 1959, two Arcer diplomatic officials were out in the large Southern Istrenyan town of Madara, John Francis (Deputy Ambassador) and Nathan Phillips (Head of Development, Istrenya), were having dinner at the Hotel Chekila, an Occidental-owned establishment frequented by members of the Levantine and Southern Cronan elite. Several disenfranchised members of a local farmer's union, frustrated at their protest over tariff increases were frustrated by the police breaking up their strike, and on their walk home encountered Francis and Phillips having dinner on the hotel's outdoor street patio. After a short verbal altercation, Francis and Phillips were violently attacked and beaten, suffering serious injuries that had both in the hospital in critical condition for weeks.

A formal protest was lodged by the Arcer ambassador within twenty four hours, and as a result President Treo cracked down using the Istrenyan National Police. The police broke up multiple union meetings and protests, including several that had the correct permits and permissions. The end result was a massive wave of bad publicity and news articles for the Presidential office, including numerous new protests and open street riots against the police slowly escalating in size and damages to public and private property.

1959 Riots
The 1959 Riots began in earnest by June 1st, with organized peaceful protests in five major towns and cities taking place, primarily along the interior and Western portions of Istrenya. Politically, Eastern Istrenya, which was geographically closer to Arcerion was more friendly and had more Occidental sympathetic, leading to a significant portion of the population disagreeing with the mass protests of the West and central highlands. National Police forces clashed violently for several weeks, with dozens of civilians dying a ay in the towns of Iraso and Mogtepeni, both of which were seriously affected by riots and paralyzed by street violence. An organization of unions in Iraso banded together. A collection of farmer's unions, mechanics unions, and foreign members of the Malentine Socialist Party. Self-named, the National Instrenyan People's Front (NIPF) was founded and headed by a former aide to President Treo, Ma'kle Tytosh, who had also previously served as a member of the Istrenyan National Guard. With a lack of weapons equipment, he entreated his foreign socialist and syndicalist counterparts to donate weapons, equipment, and instructors. Camps were set up in the Western Portion of Istrenya, in order to assist with the training of Liberation Battalions. Riots continued in the Eastern half of Istrenya, with the raging street battles destroying pubic transports and public services. Sofrine had both the Town Hall and the National Guard Barracks attacked with fireworks as well as a significant amount of firebombs. Despite heavy losses rom College Students from the nearby Agricultural University, of whom forty died and twice that number were wounded, Sofrine's Populist Government was expelled. Concurrent to the battles raging in Sofrine, the 1st Liberation Battalion left its camp and instigated riots in Iraso, culminating with the Arcer Consulate being attacked. However, members of the Royal Arcerion Constabulary were able to repel the attackers, but transmissions via High-Frequency (HF) radio to the embassy in Karaba made it clear that the riots and civil urnest in the West were becoming a grave danger to Arcer citizens.

By the fall of 1959, Tytosh's NIPF members, along with local unions, socialist and liberal university students, and foreign fighters began the March to Karaba, a movement politicized and publicized as the means from which they would free Istrenya from foreign corporate and political interference. Starting in late September 1959, Tytosh's forces left Iraso, and quickly overran the National Police garrisons in Mogtopeni by the end of October, with Lokokeha succumbing to the 2nd and 3rd Liberation Battalions a week later. By the first week of December 1959, Enunana had begun to see an increase in labour union activity and it was assessed by members of the Arcerion Foreign Office that Tytosh's forces had begun the process to isolate the city from outside assistance. The incompetence of the National Police Forces and the Istrenyan National Guard meant that Arcerion was rapidly being forced to become involved by New Year's Eve, 1959.