Operation Rayo
Operation Rayo | |||||||
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Part of Insurgency in Narsora | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Narsora | NLP | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Adelina Aylen Gen.Ramón Biel Santos | Fermín Américo (P.O.W) Santiago Fabio Lino Macías (P.O.W) |
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Units involved | |||||||
Narsoran National Military | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
2,000 soldiers | 330-650 insurgents | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
12 killed, 25 wounded | 130-205 killed, 200+ captured. | ||||||
50+ civilians killed |
Operation Rayo was carried out in response to the Air Narsora Flight 135 Hijacking, in order to hunt down the remaining insurgents and put an end to the country's insurgency.
Beginning
The operation was preceded by extensive air strikes, and artillery shelling which killed unknown numbers of insurgents.
Operation
On October 10th around 2,000 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division were deployed to Anyaba Province, the center of the insurgency. On the 11th they retook the town of Şahais after two days under NLP control and three days later prevented militants from attacking the provincial capital of Alagiah.
End of Operation
On October 14th special forces captured NLP commander Fermín Américo Santiago, in the town of Essekoa, 15 miles from Alagiah, he is believed to have been attempting to leave the country and was found barricaded in a residential house. On the 15th, after being surrounded and out gunned by security forces and the capture of their commander over 200 insurgents surrendered in Alagiah, these two-hundred were believed to be the last remaining militant forces in the conflict.
War Crimes
In late-October, three narsoran soldiers were cout-martialed after a video showing them beating and executing a disarmed militant surfaced on the internet. Three soldiers were found guilty, discharged and charged with assault, unlawful murder and Disobeying a commanding officer, they are currently serving 5 years in Fort Aipzrga Military Prison.
Aftermath
The success of the operation is attributed to (according to a captured militant); "The chaotic organization" of the group after the 2011 capture of NLP founder Julien Vezquez, and unlike the 2010 conflict the improved counter-insurgency training of the military.