Badara

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Al-e-Ahmad City
9 September, 5400

Large protests have broken out in several cities across Badara, with the largest being in the city of al'Burqiyaa. Tens of thousands of people have taken to the street flying anti-government to protest the government's alignment with Beiteynu and the MSCO, as well as perceived anti-Ahmadist elements of government policy. Some burned the flags of Beiteynu and Lourenne, protesting the former's intervention in the piracy crisis. Others flew the flags of Kafuristan and of the United Majatran Republic.

While the protests have no real leaders nor goals as of now, the situation is worrying for the security of our cities. In our interview with Minister al-Jamil, she stated that the government intends only to monitor these protests; as inconvenient as they may be, the people of Badara have a right to protest. It seems for now the government will keep most of its focus on tracking the Ahmadi radicals in the countryside.

Harun al-Hashim, leader of the Jaysh Ahmad, has called these developments "a good and healthy sign for Badara."

Many in Badara are still waiting in fear for the promised "summer of suffering," but as of yet nothing has developed from that threat.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
16 September, 5400

The Commissioner of the Navy has announced this morning that the Badaran Navy will cease Special Operation Kraken, and will instead merge its task force with the present anti-piracy coalition. In a press release from the capital, Commissioner el-Omer said that while "the operation was certainly justified and necessary at its implementation," it "no longer made sense in the current political climate." The Commissioner announced the ban on Kafuri civilian vessels will be lifted as of 20 September and the ban on military vessels will be lifted by 1 October.

This comes just days after Badaran Representative to the WC Qisma el-Kamal came under fire for defending the special operation as "necessary."

While this may be seen by many, especially Badarans who support Kafuristan, as Badara backing down it is more so Badara re-aligning with its stated goals - at least according to Foreign Minister Ameer el-Malak. In the same briefing, he said that "Badara, from the beginning, has sought to keep peace and stability in Majatra. Kafuristan threatened that peace, and we responded." And now that, as he puts it, "the MSCO and the international community is mobilizing to our defense," these harsh measures are "no longer necessary to protect the peace."

The Foreign Minister concluded by stating that he, and the government, hope the Beiteynu-Kafuristan talks prove fruitful.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
2 November, 5400

The National Election Committee has announced that with 98% of the vote counted President al-Ghanem has been re-elected. The president received 99.3% of the vote, with various abstentions and write-ins.

Due to the lack of official opposition in Badara, al-Ghanem was re-elected virtually unopposed. Many have been critical of not only this election, but of the last two as well due to the lack of official opposition. This is not a governmental decree however, as the Constitution of Badara allows for the existence of other parties opposed to the Ba'athist Party. Most opposition candidates usually run within the party and use their position to affect government policy more effectively.

Celebrating in the capital, the president delivered a heart-felt speech to his supporters in Al-e-Ahmad Square. A brief transcript is included below:

My friends!

I extend a humble thanks to the people of this great nation who have chosen so graciously to re-elect this government.

I know that fear has gripped our nation, be it crisis with our Kafuri neighbors or terror attacks here on our soil, and I promise you that I will do everything in my power to defend our nation. The terrorists who threaten everyday the lives and livelihoods of my Badaran brothers and sisters will not succeed. Their attacks against our Yeudi brothers and sisters here in Badara and abroad will not be tolerated; their claims of supremacy of religion and culture shall be rejected. They can gather their armies, they can commit sins in the name of fighting sin, but they will not succeed!

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
10 December, 5400

In response to increased tensions with the Jaysh Ahmad (Jaysh), Defence Minister al-Ammar has announced an increase defence budget. The increases will hire an additional 6,000 personnel and and additional 80 billion to use in future arms deals to modernize the equipment and vehicles of the Badaran Army, as well as the Navy and Airforce.

In a televised address concerning the government's ongoing campaign against Jaysh, President al-Ghanem announced that 15 billion of the increased budget would be allocated to fight against terror and would be accompanied by a modest increase to the budget of the office of the Interior which would allow for the hiring of more national police and emergency response units. The president also announced his intentions to bring the developments in Badara to the attention of the MSCO and Badara's allies in the international community to ask for aid.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
22 January, 5401

The protests against President al-Ghanem and the current government that begun last year have yet to fizzle out, and still there are hundreds of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets of cities across Badara.

Paradoxically, many of the protestors have now shifted their anger from the government's anti-Kafuristan policies to the president's cancellation of Special Operation Kraken - one of said policies they criticized only a few months ago. Seen as a sign of weakness by many, and as the president bowing to external influence and the "imperialism" of major powers such as Lourenne and Beiteynu the move is criticized by both Ahmadist demonstators and Ba'athist dissenters who proclaim support for Kafuristan as their main grievance against the al-Ghanem government.

Despite the president's landslide re-election last year, many of the demonstrators have criticized the election as unfair and many more boycotted it making it hard to gauge actual public support for the government. In addressing these concerns, the president said that his government would always act in the best interest of the people, defending his foreign policy as sane and modern.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
9 February, 5401

Foreign Minister Ameer el-Malak has announced the beginnings of negotiations for a potential summit with Beiteynu regarding the current situation in Majatra at large, but more specifically to address the normalization of relations and the rising terror threat in Badara. Although the summit has not been finalized as of yet, with major details and a host country for the summit still to be decided, it will certainly be beneficial to the stability of the continent and of our nation.

The announcement has exacerbated the protests currently raging in Badara against the nations foreign policies, and tensions between Ahmadist demonstrators and radicals and the Yeudi population in Badara is increasing. Interior Minister al-Jamil announced that her department is taking these concerns very seriously, and the safety of "our Yeudi brothers and sisters" is a top priority for her office during this unrest."

It was also announced that the president will be attending the coronation of Elias Ishmael IV in order to strengthen ties between Beiteynu and Badara.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
8 March, 5401

Riots have broken out in al-Burqiyaa and Misul as well as several other smaller cities in the governate of Baharia. In their clashes with police the rioters have caused extensive damage to infrastructure and property throughout the cities. They have also attacked and killed many Yeudi, Athiest, and non-Majatran Badarans in a spree of hate crimes.

Defence Minister al-Ammar has announced that the police are "doing everything they can to resolve this crisis" and that the situation was "an immense tragedy." The Ministry of Defence has sent that national guard to Baharia and Salmania and the president has stated he may soon send the army. Amid these rising tensions, talks still continue for a summit between Beiteynu and Badara, with a date of summer, 5042 announced last week. Yesterday, the Foreign Minister confirmed that Lourenne had agreed to host the summit, with Duchess Aviv Imo Aristocrat-Goldbloom representing Beiteynu and President al-Ghanem representing Badara.

The summit may be crucial in the resolution of the crisis.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
23 March, 5401

The government has announced an $8.6 billion arms deal with Kundrati aimed at modernizing the Badaran military. Most agree that Badara's military is outdated and ineffective in its current state, and with heightened tension in the nation as Ahmadi radicals continue to antagonize the government the president has allocated an extensive amount of money to recruitment, training and purchasing arms and vehicles. This move comes as plans are finalized for the summit with Beiteynu, and highlights Badara's commitment to fighting terrorism.

Expressing hope for progress in the campaign against Jaysh, the president announced the arrest of three terror suspects in Dar as-Salam and the destruction of a Jaysh supply convoy in Baharia. The situation still seems somewhat contained, but many fear the possibility of continued and greater conflict.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
16 June, 5401

The Jaysh Ahmad has launched a series of coordinated attacks on Yeudi communities across Badara, resulting in an estimated 200 casualties. Horrified by this development, President al-Ghanem is deploying the military to protect Yeudi communities across the nation, and the police have begun a crackdown on provocative hate speech.

Jaysh militants have so far eluded the army, only falling victim to drone strikes. Lack of direct confrontation and guerrilla tactics have prevented the government from being able to decisively defeat the forces of Jaysh.

Harun al-Hashim has released a video praising the campaign and calling Beiteynu "a nation of sin and lies" and describing Yeudis in general as "sinister agents."

Happening ahead of the summit with Beiteynu, the government now looks to receive aid in this crisis from Beiteynu - and perhaps the MSCO at large.

[BananaZebra]

Al-e-Ahmad City
19 June, 5401

The government has approved a series of air strikes in central Baharia targeting alleged sites of Jaysh encampments and compounds. The strikes are confirmed to have killed between 20 and 40 militants total, and have caused minor damage to infrastructure in Baharia after a small bridge collapsed near al-Habalah. It is believed that Aslam el-Zaidi, a high-ranking lieutenant for Harun al-Hashim, has died in one of the air strikes though the government has yet to find a body to be able to confirm such reports.

The escalation of air strikes against Jaysh has alarmed many analysts in Badara and the international community who see it as a sign that the government believes a civil war to be imminent.

This is the fifth Jaysh compound destroyed in an airstrike since late last year, and still more continue to pop up around the nation to replace them.