[fiction - news report] PAU frees hostages; rebel leader escapes

PAU Military Overrun Rebel Bases, Free Hostages

New Anglian Interstellar News Network Thursday, March 12th, 2178

New Lusaka - The PanAfrican Union army today overran several rebel bases
in
the city of Rhamal-kesh, freeing hundreds of hostages taken by the
rebels in the past few weeks.

A dozen hostages were killed in the firefight between the PAU army and the
rebel forces.

"It is an unfortunate circumstance that innocents might be killed when
caught in the cross-fire," stated General Amad Bufahl. "We try to
minimize the casualties among the innocent, but sometimes it happens. That
only a dozen were killed and several hundred are now free is quite
acceptable."

The rebels, led by their leader Sum Dhrugs, appeared in Rhamal-kesh
several weeks ago and began abducting citizens from the city, secluding them
in one of several fortifications the rebels hastily constructed. The City
Council was unable to summon the PAU army before they were captured and
executed. Word first reached the outside that something was wrong nearly a
week into the occupation of the city. The PAU army, currently embroiled in
other skirmishes with rebel forces elsewhere on Bujubura, was sent in to deal
with the situation.

"We are stretched pretty thin," reported General Ahm-Zebron, "But the
rebels are a very disorganized bunch. We'll clean them up and have them off
the planet before the end of the year."

It is presumed that the rebels are being financed and supplied by the IFN, but
no hard evidence of this exists. Government officials continue to investigate
this situation and hope to find some clues left behind in the rebel bases.

Rebel leader Sum Dhrugs managed to elude capture during the raids and escaped
with some of his top advisors when the PAU launched its major offensive.
Sources say that this setback is only temporary for the rebel forces, and
Dhrugs expects to return to the region in the coming months.

Nearly 1,000 rebels were killed or wounded in the pitched battle.

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> PAU Military Overrun Rebel Bases, Free Hostages

Hundreds of PAU soldiers died in an effort to wrest control of
Rhamal-kesh from the Free National Congress.  FNC troops also suffered
heavy losses as they attempted to protect the civilian population from the
worst of the PAU attacks. The FNC commander, Colonel Dhrugs, has ordered
National forces to withdraw. "Dozens of innocent people have already been
killed by PAU fire," he said. "We can't risk further casualties to the people
we're here to protect. Our troops will remain in this region, however, and I
have ordered fresh units to begin moving against the PAU lines of
communications."