Fall of Montezuma Ends Conflict
Military-led forces capture Istapalian capital and begin reorganising the country's political system to consolidate powerThursday 13th February, 4501 Military forces loyal to Istapali's transitional government, formed after a military coup, have captured the national capital Montezuma from the elected government led by Tlazohpan Manicoh after a ten-month long siege, bringing an end to a civil war which has ravaged the country over the last two years. Since last year, the capital was the only territory remaining under the control of "democratic forces", with the rest of the country controlled either by the transitional government or the insurgent Istapali Unity Movement (ISTUMO).
Above: A volunteer searches through the rubble of a building destroyed during the siege of Mentozuma by military forces loyal to Istapali's transitional governmentSince taking control of the city, the new government has begun an attempt to stabilise the country and consolidate their power. Members of the Manicoh government and many soldiers loyal to the administration have been arrested and are believed to be facing imminent execution. Tizoc Xochipan, the transitional government's president, has declared that the nation is once again at peace and that a new constitution is in the process of being approved which will "ensure the peace and prosperity of the Istapali people for all eternity".
Under the terms of an agreement signed in the early stages of the civil war, ISTUMO will be given a role in the governance of the northeastern region of the country along the border with Suyu Llaqta. The group's leader Nopaltzin Zalli appeared in a public broadcast with Xochipan to celebrate the capture of Montezuma. The Llaqta and Liori governments, who actively supported the anti-democratic alliance throughout the civil war, have made statements of congratulations to the new government and welcomed the President to their respective capitals to discuss regional cooperation.
In contrast, the governments of Cifutingan, Midway and Degalogesa among others have issued harsh condemnations of the new regime in Istapali, calling it undemocratic and threatening to expand economic sanctions implemented over the course of the conflict. Concerns are already being raised about the possibility of the one of the largest nations in Dovani aligning itself with the "Axis of Sovereignty", a defensive alliance composed of Utari Mosir, Suyu Llaqta and Liore.
Istapali Frontline News is a network of journalists collecting information from the heart of the Istapalian civil war in order to provide objective reporting on the situation.