2032 Yanuban Coup

Following a poor harvest season in the autumn of 2031-32, bread prices skyrocketed in the early winter food riots broke out. The Yanubi government turned to Burgundie for foreign aid in March of 2023 and was granted a large grain concession from nearby Bulkh. These grain shipments were initially rushed by starving locals and the Yanubi Gendarmerie National fired on the crowds in a number of locations killing 4 civilians and injuring 12 more across the country. Burgundie insisted that a detachment of the Umardi Askari of the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion be deployed to ensure the equitable and orderly distribution of the grain on March 3rd and the Yanubi government conceded. On March 4th two Platoons of the Umardi Askari, and the 8th Platoon of SeaBees of the Grand Eastern Command's Expeditionary Strike Squadron Kandahar Resolve arrived and established a base of operations just outside the capital Muqadas. On March 9th, the 3rd Independent Company of Forward Air Operators, Royal Air Service of Burgundie and a platoon of the Provost Gendarmerie of the III Division Foreign Legion arrived to support the expanding mission. The situation stabilized in late March and early April, but the populace grew agitated at the rapid escalation of Burgoignesc forces close to the capital implying that the Yanubi government was not able to manage its own affairs within the country. Following remarks released on May 15th, 2023 of the Great Prince of Burgundie saying "the nations of the Middle seas region wouldn't exist without Burgundie. Burgaudonie is the gateway of civilization on that continent." protesters started to gather around the base that the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion was operating out of. They demanded that the Legionnaires leave and that the Global Burgieman leave Yanuban and leave its affairs unimpeded. The protest expanded in the first week of June leading to tense negotiations between the Yanubi and Burgoignesc Foreign Minister. After a week of failed negotiations and multiple crowd rushes of the main gate of the base, illustrating failures in the ability of the Yanubi National Gendarmerie.

Initiation of the coup
Over the night of June 7th a clandestine mission was flown over the capital and a heavy anti-riot truck and a squad of the National Gendarmerie of Burgundie's Mobile Gendarmerie were dropped into the base with support from the 3rd Independent Company of Forward Air Operators. When the Yanubi protesters returned on the morning of the 8th they were immediately repulsed and dispersed by the shocking show of organization and force. The rest of the week was relatively calm around the base but numerous, smaller protests occurred throughout the capital city and other regional capitals. The National Gendarmerie of Burgundie units were preparing to demobilize on Sunday the 13th, but Saturday morning, after a day of prayer wherein imams around the country railed against Burgundie, a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered outside the base. Efforts to disperse them failed, but they were not able to approach the main gate. By noon the crowd had grown to around 2,500 people. The riot truck's water cannon was used to push the crowds back but the group continued to grow. With all eyes on the events unfolding in the quartier with the base no one noticed a small gathering of military vehicles in the rear of the parliament building. At 1304 local time the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the heads of each branch of the military and the National Gendarmerie stormed the parliament, and declared the republic dissolved. They insisted that all Burgoignesc politicians, diplomats, and military personnel leave within 72 hrs.

Over the rest of the day the remainder of the government buildings in the capital were occupied by the military, with no resistance from staff and government personnel. At 1700, the Yanubi National Gendarmerie around the military base with the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion were withdrawn, but not before the National Gendarmerie of Burgundie were ordered back within the confines of the base. The night of June 8th was very tense, but no interactions occurred either between the protesters and the Burgoigniacs or the government, and the Armed Forces of Yanuban.

The week of June 13th saw a flurry of activity as the military took control of more of the country and the government kept retreating and reforming. By the end of June the country had completely fallen under the control of the military and the government had fled in exile to Bulkh, where it operated out of its embassy to that nation. During this time the base with the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion was largely forgotten. It wasn't until July 1, that the junta turned its attention back to the base. They reissued the ultimatum of 72 hours to Burgoignesc politicians, diplomats, and military personnel. A coalition of regional nations: Battganuur, Bulkh, and Umardwal condemned the coup, while Pursat tacitly supported the coup saying that the country had a right to self-determination and that Burgundie was too aggressively asserting itself in the lives of Audonians.

Using its bases on Chaukhira the Navy of Burgundie's Grand Eastern Command's Rapid Deployment Group 6 established a perimeter off the southwestern coast of the country, just beyond its economic exclusion zone on July 9th. The military junta claimed that Burgundie was establishing an embargo and fanned the flames of anti-Burgoignesc sentiment in the country. No ships were stopped or searched by the Navy of Burgundie's flotilla but the Rapid Deployment Group 6 remained in a posture of high readiness in the event it needed to extricate the Legionnaires under fire. The Burgoignesc Ambassador Plenipotentiary and the junta-declared "Foreign Minister of Yanuban" met for another round of negotiations after the deadline had passed and the Burgoignesc politicians, diplomats, and military personnel had not left. The meetings dragged on for two weeks with no resolution and the populace became agitated with the pace and once again began to gather in front of the base. This time throwing rocks and trash at the perimeter walls.

On July 23rd the soldiers of the Junta joined the protesters to put pressure on Burgundie for a negotiated retreat. For 48 hrs the stand off continued until a Yanubi Sapper team arrived. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Legionnaires and Gendarmes requested permission to return fire if fired up on and fight their way to the coast. At 1700 local time they were given the green light if they could not hold the perimeter to fight to the coast to liaison with teams from Rapid Deployment Group 6. At 2105 the crowd was unleashed on the Legion base and the sappers took the distraction to position themselves near a side entrance they thought was now well guarded. The Legionnaires left the Gendarmes to use the riot truck to hold off the civilians surge until the Yanubi sappers had blown the back gate. Using the water canon and batons the Gendarmes give enough ground to make the Yanubis feel confident. They signaled their sappers to blow the side gate at 2117. Thinking they had surprised the Burgoigniacs they were terrified when they were met by a coordinated sallying forth by the Legionnaires who gunned down the sappers and the Juntas commander who was with them. The Legionnaires called to the Navy indicating that their fight to the sea had begun. The Legionnaires swept up behind the protesters and Juntas soldiers and assaulted from the rear.

Fight to the sea
On July 23rd at 2117 Yanubi sappers blew open a side gate, thinking they were taking the Umardi Askari of the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion by surprise. They were counter-ambushed by the Askaris and killed. Three squads of the Askaris exited the perimeter and quietly circled around behind the Junta soldiers and protesters while another squad stayed by the side gate and fired into the air to trick the Yanubis into thinking the Sappers were still alive and engaging with the Legionnaires. The encircling action complete, the Askaris opened fire on the Junta soldiers from behind and caused a panic, dispersing the crowd. This gave the remaining Legionnaires and gendarmes time to open the main gate and exit in their armored vehicles. Askari combat engineers had mined the key infrastructure of the base and the materiel they had to leave behind. With charges set for 10 minutes the convoy called the Navy of Burgundie's Grand Eastern Command's Rapid Deployment Group 6 to begin the operation and to establish a beach head for their extraction. An advance survey team deemed the city's harbor to be insecure, so they were instructed to head to a beach 7 kilometers south of the city and meet up in 6 hours.

The joint Legion-gendarme convoy headed deep into the city to the Burgoignesc embassy to extract the diplomatic staff. At 2127 they encountered a Yanubi roadblock which their heavy vehicles easily bashed through. The soldiers of the roadblock opened fire to no avail, but the Junta's leadership was informed and they started to see the bigger picture. All junta-loyal soldiers, gendarmes, and police were notified to delay, distract, and fire upon the convoy and to try to keep it from reaching the embassy. Junta loyalists formed make-shift detachments as they arrived in the area and started piling up cars, furniture, and tires in the streets and setting them on fire. As the Burgoigniacs pushed into the heart of the city of Muqadas they pace slowed and eventually became a crawl as they came under heavy small arms fire. The Askaris dismounted and started to work ahead of the convoy for fear of anti-materiel weapons being used to destroy their. The Burgoignesc vehicle gunners peppered the buildings and roof lines to keep them clear and the gendarmes took up rear guard positions as the convoy plodded deeper and deeper into the city. After 45 minutes of intense fighting the first air support from the Navy of Burgundie arrived and began firing flares and strafing runs on known junta command posts and radar installations. By this point the Junta had begun using the Emergency Alert System to give commands as Burgoignesc electronic warfare and jamming planes had started to degrade their ability to communicate. After an hour and 20 minutes the convoy reached the embassy but it has been besieged by a veritable army of Junta supporters and anti-Burgoignesc protesters.

Escalation of violence
Following the successful assault on the protesters and the Yanubi junta forces, the Legionnaires managed to reach the coast and established communication with the Rapid Deployment Group 6 of the Navy of Burgundie. Realizing the severity of the situation, the Navy of Burgundie rapidly mobilized to provide support to the stranded Legionnaires and began conducting reconnaissance missions to assess the overall military situation in the country.

A group of pro-al Zaydi loyalist forces forms, under the orders of the President for Life, and they rally to confront the junta troops in the northeast. This fractures Yanuban's military between pro-al Zaydi and pro-Junta forces and leading to widespread clashes throughout the country. Throughout the month of July, the situation deteriorated further as the pro-al Zaydi forces, bolstered by loyalist and secularist militias, and non-combat support from Burgundie intensified their efforts to regain control over strategic locations and key government institutions. The junta forces continued to resist fiercely, determined to maintain its hold on power and expel any perceived foreign intervention.

Amidst escalating tensions, various international actors attempted to mediate a resolution to the crisis, but their efforts were often stymied by the deep-rooted divisions within Yanuban society and the complex web of allegiances among different military factions. By August, the situation had devolved into open warfare between the pro-al Zaydi forces and the pro-junta factions, with the conflict spreading across multiple cities and regions. Both sides engaged in intense combat, resulting in significant civilian casualties and widespread destruction of critical infrastructure. The escalating violence further destabilized the country, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis, with thousands of civilians displaced and in urgent need of aid. Burgundie and its allies in Daria (Bulkh and Battganuur) scramble to provide humanitarian assistance, but the complex security situation hampered relief efforts.

As the conflict in Yanuban continued to escalate, the decision was made by Burgundie to deploy a significant Burgoignesc Foreign Legion and Marine Infantry force to support the pro-al Zaydi faction. The Burgoignesc forces arrived with a mandate to stabilize the situation, restore order, and protect vital infrastructure. Their initial successes were marked by strategic gains in key urban centers, securing important government buildings, and establishing a more cohesive command structure within the pro-al Zaydi forces. The Burgoignesc military effectively coordinated with the pro-al Zaydi troops to push back the junta forces and gain ground in several regions, namely the coastal plain in and around Muqadas, as well as in the east along the coast of the Managil Bay. This combined force managed to weaken the junta's hold on crucial supply routes and key junta strong points in those regions, significantly hampering the junta's ability to reinforce its positions.

However, the initially amicable relationship between the Burgoignesc forces and the pro-al Zaydi faction began to deteriorate rapidly as reports of atrocities committed by the al Zaydi forces emerged. These atrocities included indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, reports of extrajudicial executions, and severe human rights violations against perceived supporters of the junta. Such actions were in direct contradiction to the principles and standards of conduct upheld by the Burgoignesc military, leading to increasing friction and moral dilemmas within the ranks. Despite Burgundie's attempts to maintain discipline and adhere to international standards of engagement, al Zaydi spoke publicly in favor of the actions of his forces which put significant strain on the alliance. This strain was exacerbated by the growing international outcry and condemnation of the escalating violence and human rights abuses in Yanuban and Burgundie's "complicities" in those abuses.

In response, the Burgoignesc military leadership, already grappling with the moral complexities of their involvement, initiated internal discussions to address the situation. As evidence of the atrocities continued to mount, senior commanders conveyed their concerns to the Burgoignesc high command, demanding that immediate measures be taken to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and protect the civilian population from further harm. Tensions between the two factions escalated, leading to confrontations and clashes over the conduct of military operations and the treatment of civilians. The Burgoignesc forces, faced with a moral dilemma and mounting international pressure, found themselves navigating a complex situation, torn between their mission to stabilize Yanuban and their commitment to upholding ethical and humanitarian principles.

Burgundie stands alone
In the town of Tajebet, reports surfaced of widespread civilian massacres and heinous acts of violence carried out by the pro-al Zaydi forces. Eyewitnesses detailed accounts of the systematic targeting of unarmed civilians, including women and children, and the abduction of numerous women and girls for nefarious purposes. Faced with this egregious violation of human rights and a blatant disregard for the rules of engagement, a platoon of the Umardi Askaris, tasked with securing the area and protecting the civilian population, confronted a group of pro-al Zaydi fighters in the act of committing further atrocities. Despite attempts at de-escalation and warnings to cease their actions, the pro-al Zaydi forces persisted in their brutal assault on the defenseless civilians. Under intense pressure and with a heavy heart, the Askaris were left with no choice but to open fire on the perpetrators, seeking to put an end to the senseless violence and protect the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire. The firefight that ensued resulted in casualties on both sides, 2 Askaris and 36 Yanubis, further exacerbating the already tense and volatile situation in the region. The decisive action taken by the Askaris to protect the civilian population of Tajebet, created an irreparable rift between Burgundie and the al Zaydi faction. Condemning the atrocities and the flagrant disregard for human life, the Burgoignesc government publicly denounced the al Zaydi leadership and announced the immediate suspension of all military cooperation and support.

With Burgundie effectively severing ties with the pro-al Zaydi faction, the civil strife in Yanuban escalated to a new level of complexity, with the pro-al Zaydi, pro-Junta, and Burgoignesc forces engaging in direct confrontations and intense battles throughout the country. The conflict, now involving three belligerents, plunged Yanuban into further chaos and bloodshed, deepening the suffering of the civilian population and exacerbating the already dire humanitarian crisis. During the four-month-long campaign, the Burgoignesc Foreign Legion and Burgoignesc Maritime Infantry implemented a series of meticulously planned and ruthlessly executed operations to decisively quell the pro-al Zaydi and pro-Junta forces in Yanuban.

Using its reconnaissance-in-force armored doctrine (small fast wheelie-boys like the ), the Burgoignesc forces conducted swift and precise strikes, exploiting weaknesses in the defenses of both the pro-al Zaydi and pro-Junta forces. By exploiting the divisions between the factions and employing targeted drone strikes, they effectively disrupted the communication and supply lines of the enemy, denying them the opportunity to regroup or reinforce their positions, per the Burgoignesc way of war. Burgundie's forward-deployed logistical and maintenance support to the front-line units played a crucial role in sustaining the momentum of the campaign. The seamless coordination and rapid deployment of resources ensured that the Burgoignesc forces maintained their operational tempo and sustained their combat effectiveness throughout the entire duration of the campaign. Furthermore, the integration of the HERMES Collaborative Combat Network provided the Burgoignesc forces with real-time situational awareness and enhanced command and control capabilities. This allowed for swift and decisive coordination between different units, enabling them to exploit emerging opportunities and adapt to evolving battlefield dynamics with remarkable agility and precision.

The campaign, marked by a relentless and unforgiving offensive, inflicted devastating blows on both the pro-al Zaydi and pro-Junta forces. The Burgoignesc forces, maintaining a relentless and unyielding pressure, denied their adversaries any respite, launching coordinated assaults, and encircling their strongholds, effectively isolating and neutralizing their remaining strongholds throughout early December. With their enemies facing diminishing resources, waning morale, and diminishing support from the local population, the pro-Junta forces were largely wiped out, and the remaining pro-al Zaydi forces found themselves surrounded and besieged. Facing overwhelming odds and recognizing the futility of continued resistance, the al-Zaydi forces eventually surrendered on December 21, 2023.