Second Ziridavan Civil War

From Atlas
2nd Ziridavan Civil War

Ziridavan rebel in December 1985
DateMarch 4th 1985-August 2nd 1987
Location
Result Ziridava Rebel victory
Overthrow of the People's Republic of Ziridava
Capture and execution of Ognyan Vancho and other ZCP leaders
Belligerents
Ziridava Blue Wing Movement
People's Republic of ZiridavaZiridava People's Army defectors
People's Republic of Ziridava Dissident members of the Ziridava Communist Party
 People's Republic of Ziridava
 Gorbatov
 Stasnov
Commanders and leaders
Ziridava Nikola Desislav
Ziridava Dobroliub Lubor
People's Republic of Ziridava Ognyan Vancho Executed
People's Republic of Ziridava Blagoy Zlatan Executed
Stasnov Maj. General Fyodor A. Nikitin
Units involved
Ziridava Blue Wing Movement Armed Wing
People's Republic of ZiridavaVarious defector ZPA units
People's Republic of Ziridava Ziridava People's Army
People's Republic of Ziridava Ziridava Communist Party
Stasnov46th Air Assault Brigade
Stasnov Zivropolskaya Guards Airborne Division
StasnovSpetsgruppa Vega
Stasnov3rd Spetsnaz Brigade
GorbatovVympel GSO
Strength
Ziridava<260,000 People's Republic of Ziridava500,000
Stasnov
Gorbatov
Casualties and losses
10,428 dead
33,471 wounded
12,486 dead
80,326 wounded
  • Total civilians killed/wounded: 100,000 (est.)
  • Total civilians displaced: 2,200,000 (est.)


The Second Ziridavan Civil War was a civil war in the People's Republic of Ziridava from March 1985 to August 1986. The war began on March 4th 1985 in the city of Progena and soon spread throughout the country, and was lead by the Blue Wing Movement, under the command of Nikola Desislav. The war would ultimately lead to the fall of the Ziridavan communist government and the execution of it's leader, Ognyan Vancho. Along with the formation of the Republic of Ziridava, August 2nd was declared a national holiday in the Republic of Ziridava, known as Freedom & Remembrance Day.

Background[edit]

Timeline[edit]

Protests, civil resistance, defections (January-March 1985)[edit]

The uprising was marked by massive anti-government opposition demonstrations against the communist government led by Ognyan, which was initially met with police and military violence, massive arrests and a brutal crackdown, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of wounded. Despite the goverment's attempts to stop the protests with the massive crackdown and use of censorship on one hand and concessions on the other, by the end of February 1985 it became clear the situation was getting out of control, and Ognyan Vancho ordered the army deploy numerous troops on the ground. The civil uprising phase led to the emergence of militant opposition movements and massive defections from the Ziridavan army, which gradually transformed the conflict from a civil uprising to an armed rebellion, and later a full-scale civil war. The rebel Blue Wing Movement Armed Wing was created on March 3rd 1985, marking the transition into an armed insurgency.

Initial armed insurgency[edit]

Escalation and foreign intervention[edit]

Government counterattack[edit]

VP withdrawal and ZPA mutiny[edit]

By May 1986, Stasnov had made the decision to withdraw military forces from Ziridava. Factors for this decision include no direct land connection to Ziridava, which made deployment of forces difficult, which was only made more difficult by the distance between the two countries. Additionally, word of the Vormoza Ambush had circulated despite censorship attempts by the Ziridavan government, which fueled anti-Stasnovan sentiments amongst the population. The Battle of Shimvaxi had also enraged the population of Ziridava, and sparked massive protests and harassment against Stasnovan forces in the country, in response to the high number of civilian deaths caused.

Rebel offensive of May 1986[edit]

Fall of Progena and execution of Ognyan Vancho[edit]

Aftermath[edit]

After the war, a humanitarian crisis was declared due to ongoing fighting between new government forces and remnant ZPA forces, who had resorted to guerilla warfare after the war. Clashes between both forces and various militias which rose to power in the aftermath occurred for several years after the death of Ognyan Vancho. During this time, violence against civilians was rampant, with ZPA remnants and far-right militias committing most war crimes. In response to continued violence in the country, the OCN formed a peacekeeping force comprised of 8,500 soldiers from Acerrian, Temischan, Lyonian, and Acronian military forces. This force was known as Ziridava Force (ZFOR), and was deployed in October 1987. The ZFOR remained in the country until October 1989, after the government of the Republic of Ziridava was officially established in 1988 and stability was mostly restored.

Acronian peacekeepers in Serkala, December 1988

Impact[edit]

International reactions[edit]