Blood Diamonds and Famine

[Mr Director]

Classified

 

Air strikes in Juba would cease, as a number of Christian militias would offer to negotiate with the government. They would send their envoys to Khartoum.

 

Fighting would continue in Darfur.

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Southern Representative Arrive on Khartoum, Analysts Hopeful

 

A number of representatives from the South have arrived in Khartoum to take part in much anticipated negotiations. Many analysts are hopeful that these talks will avert a full on civil war between the North and the South. A number of Janjaweed militias have also sent representatives.

 

According to government spokesperson, most armed groups in the South are taking part in the talks, but a handful of small, radical groups have chosen not to participate. A ceasefire has been enacted for the duration of the talks.

 

- Khartoum Daily

Edited November 21, 2014 by Mr Director

[TheShammySocialist]

"The Maratha Empire expresses the hope that internal peace can be achieved in Sudan, and that negotiations between government and insurgent forces are fruitful and productive.

 

We shall pray for a peace that can satisfy all."

 

[I]Maratha Foreign Ministry Spokesperson[/I]

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Peace Talks Continue, Clashes Break Out

 

A number of clashes have broken out in the South between the Army, the Janjaweed, and Christian militias, even as peace talks continue in Khartoum. In a joint statement on the clashes, the leaders of all three groups have stated that the Christian militias involved in the fighting had opted not to take part in the talks, and as such were not covered by the cease-fire.

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Progress Made in Peace Talks, Sticking Points Remain

 

A government spokesman has announced today that "Some progress had been made at the negotiations at Khartoum." Progress, in this case, refers to an agreement between the Government, the Janjaweed, and the South over issues of religious and cultural freedoms. Under the deal, both sides will re-affirm their commitment to upholding the freedom of religion, and Christianity will become an official religion of Sudan, alongside Islam. While this is a relatively small step, it seen a a possible sign of future compromises to come. Negotiations are ongoing over the subjects of the disarmament of Southern militias, and political autonomy for the South.

 

- Khartoum Daily

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Darfur Rebels Surrender, Government Troops Capture Leaders

 

After months of continuous warfare with the government, the rebels in Darfur have surrendered. The government has stated that the leaders of the militants had been captured by government troops and were awaiting trial. This victory comes has the government holds talks with Christian militias in the south, and will no doubt strengthen the government's position at the negotiating table.

 

- Khartoum Daily

Edited November 29, 2014 by Mr Director

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Rebels Strike From Chad, Attack Village

 

An anonymous official from Darfur has stated that an armed group has launched a cross-border raid from Chad. The raid appears to have been conducted by an Islamist group formerly operating out of Darfur, but no groups have stepped forward to claim the attack.

 

The target was a Sudanese village on the Chadian border. The government has yet to report the death toll, and has come under heavy criticism for what many believe to be a slow response.

 

- Khartoum Daily

[TheShammySocialist]

A handwritten note would be delivered by special courier to Khartoum, it was short, and to the point;

 

"As a partner in affairs in the Indian Ocean and its littoral tributaries, we are always looking for opportunities to build more formal relationships with our neighbors.

 

We would like to discuss such if at all possible, with your leadership, and perhaps reach a suitable arrangement that ensure such.

 

We look forward to hearing your reply."

 

Santaji Bhonsle

King of Maratha

Edited December 7, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[Mr Director]

 

Private

 

To: Maratha

 

We would be willing to host such a meeting in Khartoum, or send an envoy to Maratha, whichever is the most convenient.

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Girls Kidnapped in Raid, Militias Show Solidarity with Government

 

In a recent statement, the Government has announced that some 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped in the recent raid launched by Islamist militants from Chad. The group, which has identified itself as a reformed Ansar Al-Sharia, has also claimed responsibility for the attack, and has stated that the hostages will be killed if the government carries on with peace talks with the Christian south.

 

In a surprising show of unity, the government, the Janjaweed, and a number of Southern Militias released a joint statement denouncing the attacks. A major Southern Militia leader stated in a separate announcement that "This shameless attack on children is sinful in any religion, and those who committed this crime must be punished. We are willing to cooperate with Khartoum on this matter."

 

The government, however, has come under increasing pressure over its lack of action against militias in Chad, as well as its slow response to the raid.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Private Diplomatic Cable[/b]

 

"We will gladly dispatch a delegation to Khartoum whenever is earliest convenient for you."

 

[OOC: I can make a thread?]

[Mr Director]

OOC: Sure

 

IC

 

Classified

 

As a part of a project to increase Sudanese air defenses, the Sudanese military would begin the deployment of eight new S-300 batteries and 36 Buk batteries.

[Mr Director]

Classified

 

The Sudanese military was notorious for corruption, ethnic rivalries, and politicization. The Sudanese Special Forces were an exception. The 1,000 strong force was quite small compared to the commando forces of other countries, but man for man, they could hold their own against the finest.

 

With an agreement now signed with Maratha, the Sudanese government would pick out 20 men from the Special Forces and send them to the Counter-Insurgency school in Maratha. Hopefully some of them would come back in one piece.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified[/b]

 

With the agreement signed with Sudan, the Royal Marathi Armed Services would welcome the transport that was dispatched from Sudan to the District of Mizoram with the operators from the Sudanese Special Forces.

 

Once arrived, the Sudanese would be treated with respect, and given transport to the CIJW School from the District Capitol, which lay about seventy miles from the school itself. The host unit for their time at the CIJW School would be 2nd Battalion, 556th Special Operations Regiment, also known as the Blues and Reds. Many in the Royal Marathi Army knew the unit only as the 'Sons of Yama', the deity of death in Hindu mythology, but the Sudanese would have the unique opportunity to make connections with the unit that others had not.

 

The Sudanese Special Forces would be attached to the part of the battalion that was being trained at the time, with translators being attached to each fire team of Sudanese soldiers. Following standard Marathi infantry tactics, each fire team consisted for four individuals, which included a heavy weapons soldier as well as a designated fire team commander. After induction into the school, where the School's Commander, a Brigadier, would express the honor it was to be hosting foreign soldiers as part of their school, the Africans would begin immediately with training.

 

In the eight weeks following their arrival, the soldiers would be put through strenuous exercises involving guerrilla warfare, counter insurgency, and low intensity warfare, with operations stretching from the surrounding swamps and jungles, to flights involving HALO airborne jumps that took them deep into the Thar Desert. Jungle and desert fieldcraft would be mastered, improvisation for food sources would be learned, reflex firing would be tested at every turn, ambush and counter ambush tactics perfected, and drilled day in and day out. Night time defensive and offensive engagement in jungle scenarios would be mastered, focusing on stealth and movement; the school put a value on a four man fire team being able to seem like a larger enemy patrol; in some training engagements, some regular infantry units believed they were facing as many as forty men each.

 

The Sudanese would be taught to improvise for weaponry from what they had, being given no firearms and expected to take down an enemy patrol with just an assortment of gear that they had on them. Exercises involving limited communication with headquarters and requiring operational improvisation were also understood, with the units being given choices on what objective to follow through with. The exercises that they had to undertake at the school were not just combat, but also thought exercises; making the right choices and living with them. Following on with a mission, or engaging in an improvised mission that could impact the entirety of a conflict for better or for worse. The school also forced the Sudanese to deal with civilian aspects of warfare; adjusting rules of engagement for human rights-style missions, as well as dealing with media and local citizenry, and what impacts this could have. The Sudanese soldiers would also be engaged in mock battles with insurgents that were inside stores and houses, with live personnel representing both civilian hostages, while others being insurgents. This was where the instructors put a price on balancing reflex firing with quick judgment, the soldiers could not shoot everything that moved; or they would fail the exercise.

 

Further conducted exercises would include air assault insertions, pathfinder exercises, and working with elements of the Marine Commandos in riverine operations in the Ganges Delta. Hostage and pilot recovery operations would also be included in exercises, with the Sudanese operators working alongside the Garud Commando Force.

[Mr Director]

Classified

 

The Sudanese troops would manage to fare quite well, especially considering the fact that they weren't form the best military. There would be a bit of an initial culture shock, as most of them had never left the country, expect for perhaps a handful of visits to Egypt, and they weren't quite used to Maratha, which, despite being founded only recently, was far more advanced than Sudan. They would manage to integrate fairly well into the Maratha battalion, despite the language barrier.

 

They would also manage to do quite well in training. They were generally at home in deserts, jungles, swamps, and rivers, as Sudan had plenty of those. Improvisation came quite naturally, as the Sudanese army wasn't the most organized, and it was perfectly normal to find oneself stuck in a swamp surrounded by militants with and armed with nothing but a dozen RPG rounds and not a single launcher.

 

Things like airborne assaults and HALO were an entirely different story, as the Sudanese air force was better at dropping bombs than people, but they would eventually find some way to pull it off. Similarly, the Special Forces were rarely called on for hostage situations, but once they found out that destroying everything withing a mile with fuel-air explosives wasn't the best idea, they would slowly get the hang of it. The human rights aspect of warfare wasn't particularly easy either. The days of mass abuses by the Sudanese army were long gone, but few soldiers had actually been trained on how to avoid collateral damage. Media relations had traditionally consisted of smashing the photographer's camera, and giving journalists a punch in the nose and a one way ticket home. However, by the fourth week or so, they'd be able to manage a pretty damn good "No comment."

 

By and by, the 20 men would manage to work their way through the eight weeks, all of them learning a large number of new skills, and some relearning some older ones they had lost when they had left the rural militias and joined the army. Upon their return to Sudan, some would be assigned to temporary training duties, in order to pass on some of what they had learned to the rest of the Special Forces, while others would be sent back to their own units. However, it wasn't just Special Forces training that they brought back. The 20 soldiers now had a fair idea of what an actual military was supposed to look like, something that would, over a much, much longer period of time, begin to rub off on the rest of the army.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Mr Director

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Classified[/b]

 

Upon graduation from the CIJW School, the Sudanese soldiers would be given pins and patches that featured a pit viper wrapping itself around a scimitar, the mark of the schools' graduates. They were all also granted honorary ranks within the 2nd Battalion, 556th Special Operations Regiment for their perseverance and martial skills they had displayed whilst partaking training with the unit. Many of the Marathi operators had nothing but compliments in after action reports to the defense ministry, with the words "honored" and "inspiring" being featured in these reports.

 

The Sudanese graduates of the CIJW School would be sent home with an extended invitation to further training at the CIJW School, as well as selective officer training at one of the many military schools or training institutions that the Royal Marathi Armed Services had pieced together. These invitations included the Armed Services Staff College in Deolali, the Royal Defense Academy (for Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and Pre-Commissioned Prospective Officers) at Khadakwasla, Royal Institute of Military Engineering in the Maratha Capitol of Pune, and the Royal Army War College in Mhow. Admittance into these institutes would be limited, but available to any Sudanese military personnel, provided they passed a written entrance exam, and submitted background and records, including disciplinary checks.

 

Furthermore, shortly after the Sudanese soldiers arrived home, the Marathi Foreign Ministry would put together a short list of officers to that could be sent as part of the officer exchange program.

[Mr Director]

Classified

 

The Maratha military academy would begin receiving small but slowly growing numbers of applications from Sudan. It would start off with about a dozen or so, and slowly begin increasing as more became known about the academies. Most of the applicants were from the better units of the Army, and would generally have relatively clean backgrounds. Those that didn't would have their applications mysteriously lost in the mail before it even left Sudan. A handful of the 20 Sudanese soldiers who had gone to the counter-insurgency school would also eventually end up heading back to Maratha, although not until much later. The government wasn't particularly eager to see its best soldiers disappear again, but it wasn't about to try and stop them.

 

The Sudanese government would also put together its own list for the officer exchange program. Those selected would be mainly from the Air Force, the Special Forces, and the more competent units from the army.

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Peace Deal Signed, Negotiations Successful

 

The government, along with a number of militia leaders from the south, has announced that a permanent peace plan has been agreed to. The plan, which has been signed by all participating parties, is dozens of pages long, but can be summarized in the following points.

 

1. All parties agree to a permanent and complete ceasefire.

 

2. All militia groups in the South agree to permanently and completely disband withing six months.

 

3. The government agrees to allow former militiamen to join the national security forces. Militiamen who wish to return to civilian life are free to do so.

 

4. All militiamen are given a full amnesty by the government, and no charges shall be brought against them for the uprising.

 

5. The government agrees to remove and punish a number of its officials in the South that have been accused of corruption and abuse.

 

6. The government agrees to disband military units that have committed serious rights abuses, and to punish those involved. These men will be tried at a special War Crimes court that consists of representatives of both the government and the militias.

 

7. The militias agree to hand over any of its fighters who have committed rights abuses to the War Crimes court. The government is not required to grant amnesty to those accused.

 

8. The militias agree to cooperate with the government on combating any continued insurgencies in the South.

 

9. The government agrees to increase funding for development in the South.

 

10. The government agrees to give key administrative posts in the South, including a number of governorships, to the former militia leaders.

 

 

A complete copy of the peace deal has been made public. The deal is expected to be implemented over a period of six months.

 

While the deal is a huge success for Sudan, several major obstacles to prosperity remain. The economy is stagnant and war ravaged, and will take years, if not decades, to recover. Infrastructure has been badly damaged, and much of the country is in ruins. Vast swaths of Sudan are chronically underdeveloped, and even many urban ares do not have access to electricity or running water. Additionally, the war has impacted farmers, and food stocks are low. Unemployment is rampant, and poverty rates are high.

 

There is also a strong likelihood of continued fighting. Many militia groups have refused to take part in the talks and have stated their intent to continue the war. Outside actors are also having an affect. Powerful pro-Christian militias in Ethiopia and Uganda have condemned their Sudanese counterparts, and the Government has come under fire from Islamist groups in Chad and the former CAR. Many of these militias are large enough to pose a conventional military threat to Sudan. However, it is unlikely that they will choose to fight directly, and will most likely opt to give covert assistance to radical groups on both sides, and attempt to expand their power in Sudan.

 

However, despite these challenges, most Sudanese are optimistic about recent developments. For the first time in its history, Sudan is truly at peace with itself.

 

- Khartoum

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Public[/b]

 

With the announcement of a peace deal between the government and militias in Southern Sudan, the Marathi Foreign Ministry has begun stepping up inquiries to the Sudanese government, on behalf of a number of corporations from the subcontinent. The two major inquiries would be from IndoPetrol, which was interested in helping jointly develop or improve petroleum extraction and refining facilities, in cohesion with a suitable Sudanese partner.

 

The other major inquiry would come from Maharaja Holdings, one of the mining giants from Maratha, which was interested in doing mineral surveys, whether it be independent or in cohesion with an existing Sudanese government directorate that oversaw management of the countries' natural resources.

 

[b]Private[/b]

 

On a more private matter, the Maratha government would begin the process of dispatching its selected officers from the various branches of the Armed Services to Sudan, where they would be hopefully integrated into various branches of the Sudanese armed forces as part of the officer exchange program.

[Mr Director]

Internal

 

IndoPetrol would be contacted by the Sudan Khartoum Refinery Company, which was hoping to begin a partnership. The SKRC had operated in Sudan for decades, and had managed to survive the war relatively intact. This was mainly due to its extensive networks of contacts within both the government and militant groups. Its ability to make friends among local communities near its refineries didn't hurt either. If the two companies could come to an agreement, it would take little effort for the SKRC to get the government to approve IndoPatrol's operations in Sudan.

 

Maharaja Holdings would be contacted by the Sudanese Ministry of Energy and Mining, which was willing to work with the Maratha company on its mineral surveys in Sudan.

 

Government agencies would go through the other Maratha inquiries. More often than not, Khartoum would be quite eager to work with the foreign companies, as Sudan was in need of foreign investment.

 

Classified

 

The Sudanese military would begin to integrate the Maratha officers. The Sudanese military was undergoing significant overhauls, with army units that had been accused of questionable behavior during the war being disbanded, and new units made up of former militiamen being created. As such, most of the foreign army officers would be assigned to Republican Guard divisions based near Khartoum, as these units were the better disciplined units of the Sudanese Army. Officers from other branches of the Maratha military would be integrated into the appropriate branches of the Sudanese military.

 

Sudan would also send some of its own officers, mainly from the Republican Guard, Special Forces, and Air Force, to Maratha.

[Mr Director]

Classified

 

The Sudanese military would begin to deploy C-805 anti-ship missiles to protect the Sudanese coast. The missiles would be launched from coastal batteries against enemy ships. A total of 25 launchers and 100 missiles would be deployed.

[Mr Director]

Public

 

Arms Shipment Intercepted, al-Sharia Threatens to Execute Hostages

 

A military spokesperson has announced that Army soldiers have seized a shipment of weapons being smuggled over from Chad. It is believed that the weapons were sent by the militant group Ansar al-Sharia, which has been backing Islamist militias in Darfur for some time. The shipment consisted of Ak-47s, machetes, and large quantities of ammunition. The weapons are expected to be transferred to the Sudanese security forces.

 

Ansar al-Sharia is continuing to hold over 300 hostages taken in a cross border raid. In a recent statement, the group threatened to kill the hostages if the government did not release the militant leader, Muhammed al-Zawahi. Al-Zawahi lead a militia in Darfur against the government, and is believed to have been behind large scale massacres. He is scheduled to be executed in a week.

 

- Khartoum Daily

 

Public

 

Conflict on the Korean Peninsula Fuels Communists in Eritrea

 

Conflict has recently broken out on the Korean Peninsula, with the DPRK seemingly on the brink of collapse. The fighting there appears to have had an affect in Sudan and neighboring Eritrea.

 

Most of the militias in Sudan are based on religion or ethnic group, but a handful of Communist ones have risen up as well. Most of these operate in Eritrea, from where they occasionally launch strikes on Sudanese forces in their quest to create a communist state in Africa. These militias have made several statements in support of the DPRK, and some reports suggest that they are attempting to smuggle arms to the DPRK, and perhaps even send soldiers to fight in Korea.

 

This development has been quite alarming for the government, as it fears that communist forces in Korea may in turn give assistance and training to communists in Africa, which have sworn to overthrow Khartoum. Sudanese security forces have been put on heightened alert, and troops could be seen moving to the Eritrean border.

 

- Khartoum Daily

 

OOC: Just doing my part to make drama ;)

Edited December 17, 2014 by Mr Director

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Internal[/b]

 

Dealings between IndoPetrol and SKRC would begin in earnest, after the Sudanese company made contact with its Marathi counterpart, and business ties began to be established. Much of the dealings between the two would be discussions of jointly developing new oil fields, as well as building a new refining and shore-to-ship oil connection hub near Port Sudan. In its dealings with its Sudanese counterpart, IndoPetrol would be quite generous with its prospective funding allocation proposals, as well as offering fixed market prices on petroleum exported, which were of market value or better, which favored the Sudanese.

 

Maharaja Holdings would immediately begin the process of coordinating mineral surveys with the Sudanese government, applying for special research visas to be able to perform their work. The company was eager to find out what sort of minerals Maratha's newest friendly partner possessed, and what could be harvested.

 

The Marathi Foreign Ministry also began to make inquiries to its Sudanese counterpart over goods that the country needed to import, and would work alongside the Ministry of Finance to make Marathi Corporations aware of a new market for their goods and/or services.

 

[hr]

 

[b]Classified[/b]

 

Most of the Marathi officers that were dispatched to Sudan spoke Arabic, as well as English and their native languages, most were of a younger age, and of a more energetic, inquisitive nature. Whilst being posted with their counterparts, they would make inroads with both officer cadre, as well as enlisted soldiers, whether they were experienced or not. They would also work to develop an idea for Sudanese operational doctrine and familiarize themselves with the way the units operated, as well as the equipment they used, energetically requesting to observe, or even partake in military exercises or training drills. As part of their exchange program, they would send reports back to Royal Marathi Armed Services Liaison Section on their activities, to give the Defense Ministry a better idea of how the Sudanese operated, as part of their efforts to develop a partnership.

 

Sudanese officers would be assigned to various units throughout the Royal Marathi Army, Navy, and Air Forces, with a majority of Sudanese special operations officers being assigned to the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), as observers and being allowed to partake in training exercises. These officers would also have the chance to be deployed aboard City-Class Corvettes that were patrolling the Bay of Bengal with a standard commando team, for constabulary duties there. A rise in the level of piracy, with sources pointing to the possibility of individuals operating from Burma, had brought the Royal Marathi Navy to proactively begin stop and search missions, as well as seizures if deemed appropriate. The Sudanese Special Operations Officers were not, at this point, allowed to partake in the operations, but were allowed to be part of the operations staff in the Combat Information Center on the corvettes, and help coordinate between the ships' crew and any special operations force boarding party that was sent out.

 

Many Sudanese Army Officers would be assigned to the 1st Armored Division, as well as the 50th Parachute Brigade, for their exchange programs. These units were on general maneuvers in Tamil Nadu, the southernmost district on the subcontinent, and were part of an anti-invasion force facing off against Marine units that were undergoing amphibious training. The handful of Sudanese Air Force Officers that were dispatched, would be assigned to the Bullseye Aggressor Wing, and certified pilots were allowed to fly in basic trainers and jet trainers after given several classroom instruction periods including flight simulators.

 

[hr]

 

[b]Secure Closed Dispatch[/b]

 

"The Maratha Empire continues to pray for the safe return of the hostages taken by rebel forces in Sudan, and is also concerned at the rise of left-wing extremism in Eritrea. This is particularly concerning, considering the events that are ongoing on the Korean Peninsula, and we hope that these rebellious forces are kept in check, and their extremism extinguished. If the Sudanese government has any need for support in shutting down the potential for arms smuggling to the DPRK, or movement of extremist soldiers to the peninsula, we are well willing to help.

 

Likewise, if our government can be of assistance in this hostage crisis, we offer our help if it is needed."

[Mr Director]

Internal

 

IndoPetrol would be given information relating to Sudan's oil industry. The recent peace deal had opened up dozens of unprecedented opportunities for Sudanese oil companies, as the South's large but undeveloped oil supplies were now accessible. Finding new oil fields would not be a problem. Plans for a new refinery at Port Sudan had been considered in the past, but were generally deemed too expensive. With the war now over, however, there was more cash to go around, and the construction of the refinery would once again become a possibility.

 

Special research visas would be swiftly granted to Maharaja Holdings. The company would also be given access to detailed maps and information gathered from previous surveys.

 

As far a imports went, Sudan was generally in great need of manufactured goods of all kinds. The recent conflict had also greatly increased the demand for food and medical supplies.

 

Classified

 

The Sudanese officers in Maratha would also be busy making inroads. The Sudanese military was looking to modernize its own doctrine, and anything that could be learned would be quite useful. All of the officers were fluent in English, but most of the subcontinent's other languages were just too foreign.

 

The Sudanese who were assigned to the corvettes would be able to handle themselves quite well, as Sudan did have a small navy consisting of such vessels(ooc :some troops converted to ships.) The Sudanese Navy was also beginning to launch operations against smugglers and pirates that had taken up residence on the Sudanese coast, and any experience in that field would be quite useful.

 

All of the air force officers were certified pilots, and all had seen some form of combat during the war. This combat had usually been in the form of air strikes against ground targets, and they had become quite good at it. Unfortunately, air to air combat was an entirely different story, and anything that could be learned would also be very useful.

 

Most of the Maratha army officers in Sudan would be assigned to Republican Guard divisions in the north. The Sudanese military would be quite willing to share its operational doctrines, which had been shaped by decades of warfare against militias and rebels. Most of the military operated somewhat dated but still potent Soviet-era equipment, although some Israeli designs were used by the Navy. The Republican guard had not seen any combat since it had repulsed an assault on Port Sudan by mercenaries from Eritrea during the war. However, it often had to dispatch small units to clear out bandits that had made their home in the countryside during the war. The Maratha could take part in these operations if they chose to, although they would be warned that while the bandits were poorly armed and trained, casualties were not impossible.

 

Maratha Air Force officers would have a less dangerous assignment. During the height war, the Sudanese Air Force had launched nearly 100 sorties per day. Now, with the war over, it was busy upgrading its equipment and tactics. Training exercises were being held, and the Maratha could join in if they wished to. The Sudanese air force had become quite adept at counter-insurgency, and was always willing to share a few of the tricks it had picked up.

 

Like the Maratha navy, the Sudanese navy was running operations against the pirates and smugglers that infested Sudanese waters. If the Maratha wished, they could join in on these operations, and the risk attached was relatively low. However, the Navy would soon begin running more dangerous missions in Eritrean waters, due to the recent actions of the communist forces there. These operations mostly consisted of intercepting illegal shipments of arms and soldiers being sent to Korea. Unfortunately, it was rather difficult to tell the difference between a ship carrying arms and a ship carrying illegal cigarettes, and thus the small Sudanese navy would find itself having to intercept all manner of illegal shipments. This would greatly overstretch the small force, which could barely keep the peace in its own waters, let alone the long Eritrean coast.

 

Eventually, the Navy would find itself running actual combat missions against Eritrean forces, which operated a small fleet of patrol boats and gunships. While these ships were relatively lightly armed in comparison to the Sudanese Sa'ar 4.5 and Svetlyak ships, the Navy was quite inexperienced in actual warfare at sea. Thus, it would often find itself looking to the Maratha officers for advice.

 

 

To: Maratha

From: The Sudanese Foreign Ministry 

 

We most sincerely thank the nation of Maratha for its offer of assistance in these troubling times. Currently, the communist forces in Eritrea are contained by our military, but this could change if they should begin fielding Korean weapons, or worse yet, Korean soldiers. As things currently stand, we cannot intercept a large majority of their shipments to the Peninsula. Our intelligence suggests that some of these shipments may stop at ports in Burma. We ask that Maratha try to interdict as many of these shipments as it can. Our intelligence agencies have forwarded the names and identities of Eritrean fighters who may be headed for the Peninsula, as well as Eritrean ships carrying illegal cargo there. Should Maratha manage to capture any of these people or shipments, we would be very grateful if your government could extradite them back to Sudan.

 

As for the hostage crisis, we are currently working to resolve the situation. Should we need any assistance, we shall be sure to ask.

 

Once again, you have our gratitude for your assistance in this matter.

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Internal[/b]

 

IndoPetrol immediately began to set to the task of researching logistics and what measures would be best taken to develop Sudan's newly-reopened oil fields in conjunction with their new counterparts. IndoPetrol would immediately use their new inroads with SKRC to also assessing costs and internally developing a financial schematic for developing a refinery at Port Sudan. The Marathi company would make the suggestion that if a refinery was to be built, that it should be able to synthesize various types of fuels, including diesel, maritime diesel, heating oil, gasoline, and aviation fuels. This would diversify the output of the facility, and arguably make it more attractive for buyers.

 

Maharaja Holdings would begin the process of shipping survey equipment and airlifting personnel to Sudan almost immediately after the visas were granted, and began organizing their survey parties almost after touchdown. Their routes would be plotted, and submitted to the Sudanese government for their review, not only out of politeness, but also for their own security. The personnel had been made well aware that despite there being a peace deal in place between the government and militia, there was always the potential for individuals or small groups of bandits or gunmen that might not have bowed to such an agreement. Therefore, they took precautions to ensure their safe conduct through the country.

 

With reports pouring in regarding exports that could be sent to Sudan, an effort was made by the Marathi Foreign Ministry to begin making relevant manufacturers aware of the demands of Sudanese importers. To this end, a steady trickle of such goods, as well as manufactured items began to arrive in Port Sudan for distribution to Sudanese traders and stores. Any good exported were subject to health and wellness laws found in Marathi lawbooks, and were therefore safe to use or consume.

 

[hr]

 

[b]Secure Dispatch[/b]

 

Rest assured that the Royal Marathi Navy will work in conjunction with reports from your intelligence agencies, as well as our own, to ensure that individuals associated with the Juche Regime in the Korean Peninsula will not reach Eritrea. It is our policy that the smuggling or transport of armaments between rogue states and extremist non-state actors is considered to be of destabilizing qualities, and cannot be overlooked. We are currently patrolling international waterways, and are on the lookout for these Eritrean ships, particularly headed for Burma, which has proven to be a hotspot for illegal maritime activity.

 

The RMN has already conducted over three dozen stop and search missions throughout our exclusive economic zone, in the past week, mostly on innocent vessels, and we are committed to continuing this policy as long as needed.

 

We wish you well with your efforts to release these hostages, and your issues that are ongoing in Eritrea.