ML hits rural barracks of newly formed Hebilean National Army
Estimated 30 dead in raid;
Vanukean Captain said to have remained resolute against overwhelming oddsDecember 8, 3939Ruins of HNA Outpost #17, destroyed by ML partisans on the night of December 4-5, 3939The ML has launched a raid against the newly formed Hebilean National Army. The raid occurred three days ago, at approximately 2:40 am, and was conducted against the Rural Barracks #17, west of Tanegzart, Hebilean State. Details are sketchy at the time, but according to sources, ML partisans staged the raid as both a propaganda action as well as an effort to obtain arms and ammunition. The raid on the armory suggests that the ML may be running short on weapons and or ammunition, and is turning to more spectacular tactics to obtain this needed war materiel.
Investigators have pieced together the string of events concluding with the ML capture of the Armory and destruction of the Rural Outpost. ML Partisans are believed to have arrived in the vicinity of the outpost with approximately two platoons or about 75 fighters late in the afternoon of December 4th, and took up positions around the base. The HNA unit at the base, at battalion strength, was put on liberty at about 16:30 in the afternoon. Since it was a Friday, the makeshift enlisted club began serving libation, and the guards proceeded to imbibe. The celebration lasted well into the night, and the last guards turned to their racks just before 2 am, leaving a light watch on the fence line.
At a given signal, the ML squads, who covered the western entrance to the outpost launched the attack. Individual fire teams moved forward in a staggered line, with other teams providing covering fire. The small arms fire was accompanied by flash grenades, designed to cause confusion and blind HNA troops. Two guards manning the entry post were the first fatalities in the battle. Once the forward platoon of ML had seized the entry gate and forced it open, the rear platoon rush through. Their target was the armory. The HNA was alerted by the initial action, and rushed from the barracks to take up positions around the outpost. Once inside the post, ML units split up and seized the communications station, losing 3 in the resulting firefight, but wounding the HNA radio operator and preventing a warning from being sent out to other units in the area. ML also destroyed two watch towers by starting them on fire.
HNA troops carried wounded comrades more than 20 miles to the nearest village following the attackAs ML made their way to the Armory, they engaged in sporadic running gunfire but HNA troops generally demonstrated an unwillingness to engage the ML as they made their way through the base. The most determined resistance was met at the Armory itself, where the Vanukean post commander, Captain Hdrin Jusuv, under the command of Vanukean Major Houssa Kharrile organized 2 squads of Hebileans and put them behind makeshift breastworks. As ML made their way toward the armory, the HNA opened fire, killing 18 ML members before being overrun and being forced to surrender. Captain Jusuv was seriously, but not fatally wounded in the fight, and two additional HNA soldiers were killed as the ML overran the positions. With the fall of the armory, the last resistance at the post had been neutralized, and the ML set about taking as many of the weapons and all ammunition off the base. It is estimated that ML captured more than 150 rifles, more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition, as well as crypto gear from the communications shack, five 50 caliber Mk2 automatic crew served weapons, three jeeps, and 15 M249s. Additionally, ML rendered 2 fixed anti-aircraft guns inoperable with solder. ML burned the living quarters at the outpost, but left other constructions alone.
All told, the HNA lost 4 dead, and had 27 wounded in the firefights. ML lost an estimated 24 dead, with six wounded though ML removed their own dead from the battlefield, so actual numbers are not available. All surviving HNA members were taken prisoners during the various phases of the firefight, and after the battle was over, the prisoners were sent to the messhall under guard and lectured about the immorality of siding with invaders. The wounded were then treated by the ML corpsman, and the base's medical supplies were left with the prisoners. Most of the prisoners, who turned out of their barracks in various states of undress and intoxication, had lost their uniforms in the fires that ML set, and therefore were encouraged to remain in the messhall until the morning, when the weather would warm up a bit.
HNA survivors of the ML assault on the Rural Outpost, waiting to be debriefed by Senior officersML left the destroyed outpost by 4:30 am with their captured weapons and equipment. The vehicles were later found abandoned along the side of the road, completely destroyed. The attack represents the first major offensive by ML against the Vanukean-backed Hebilean forces in the 2 year-long occupation of Aheblun and the first significant victory for ML forces. It also demonstrates a major weakness for the HNA- the reported low morale of the Hebilean soldiers may prove to be Vanuku's soft point. Captain Jusuv, the hero of the battle, is expected to make a full recovery, and stories of his defense against overwhelming odds have begun spreading around the HNA units throughout Aheblun.