President Anya Bishop is safe. The Zian Presidential Mansion has been taken by special forces after a nearly 9-hour siege by terrorists in an attack that left the entire world stunned. People were glued to their television screens across Zamastan and the IDU as the events unfolded live.
Here’s how the events unfolded:
At 5:48 PM, on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019, at the Zian Presidential Mansion in Tofino, four city tour buses parked in the Mansion Visitor’s Lot. Among the tourists, 46 M.L.F. terrorists dressed in normal civilian wear. Carrying duffle bags and backpacks concealing automatic assault weapons and automatic handguns walked with the rest of the tourist group to the checkpoint at the mansion’s gate entrance.
At 6:23 PM, the first shots were fired when a guard noticed the barrel of a weapon in one of the terrorist’s bags before they reached the checkpoint and metal detectors. All 46 terrorists opened fire on the guards and tourists at the checkpoint, killing many and injuring several more. Four terrorists were killed in this initial stage of their attack. They rushed past the checkpoint and to the mansion’s industrial entrance usually used for delivery.
As security outside the mansion and responding police vehicles arrived and congregated around the building at 6:25, a bomb on one of the tour buses exploded, killing 21 people in the immediate vicinity. The smoke from the blast was seen for miles and rose far above the city skyline.
Inside the mansion, President Bishop and members of her staff were secured in the safe-house bunker underneath the building while gun battles raged in the hallways. Staff and faculty were gunned down mercilessly and were at times caught in the crossfire between security forces. As security and staff began to barricade their sections of the mansion, the terrorists did the same, and took hostages with them. At least five terrorists were killed during the battle inside the building.
At 6:34, police tried to enter the building, only to be stopped short by gunfire from terrorists dug in next to office windows. It was shortly after this time that Secretary of State Avi Tremblan, who was not at the mansion at the time of the attack, established contact with President Bishop in the bunker, who requested security forces stand down their rescue efforts. Tanks and APV’s began to arrive around 7 PM, and soldiers replaced the police presence. Two ZF-22 Fighter Jets buzzed over the city as the airspace was shut down.
Helicopters and semi-trucks ferried civilians away from the mansion and a perimeter of three blocks surrounding the building was set up. All government buildings in the city, including the judicial offices and the Congressional Hall, were placed on lockdown. The military was placed on its highest possible alert (Orca 10) for the first time since the beginning of the Second Vulkaria War in 1999. (It was set at Orca 8 during the October 2018 Crisis with Gladysynthia).
Terrorists made demands through hostages yelling out of the mansion windows around 9:30 PM, stating that they were being held by self-declared Malvarian Liberation Front fighters. They demanded a halt to all airstrikes by Zamastanian-led coalition forces in Vulkaria, the release of 600 M.L.F. fighters from Zamastanian custody, and the resignation of President Bishop, Secretary Tremblan, Secretary Fondaden, as well as Vulkarian President Farhen Brooks. They also demanded the resignation of several IDU Heads of State, including Laeralian President Lui Mei-han, Libertas Omnium Maximus President Lucas Brown, Sanctarian Chancellor Charlene Hendry, and United New England President Tyagi-Kennedy. Hostages were seen draping a makeshift M.L.F. flag out of the window, recognizable by its purple and red markings.
After this, things remained relatively quiet. Night fell, but floodlights continued to cover the mansion. However, those were shut off at 1:46 AM. Occasional gunshots were heard, which were feared to be the marks of hostages being executed, though it was revealed later that two hostages had been shot in their legs as intimidation. At 3:02 AM, news cameras captured the images of two military helicopters dropping special forces on the roof of the mansion under the cover of darkness. Minutes later, gunfire and flashes were seen and heard inside the building. One hour later, at 4:06 AM, soldiers finally entered and started removing hostages from the building. The special forces had neutralized all 35 remaining terrorists, killing 31 of them and capturing 4. One special forces soldier was killed.
President Bishop was seen leaving under heavy guard, where she boarded a military helicopter and was rushed off the property grounds to a military facility outside Tofino. She has not spoken publicly since the end of the siege, but released a public statement regarding the resolve of the nation, her condolences for the victims and their families, her physical state, and her commitment to punish those responsible.
The casualties during this shocking attack are appalling. 239 people were killed, including civilians, police, soldiers, and mansion staff. Over 400 were wounded. Despite the terrorist’s threats, no hostages were executed, though several were injured with gunshots or blunt wounds from weapon butts.
It is unknown how the government will respond in the long run to the crisis, though a declaration and state of emergency has been put in effect in Zamastan. Zamastanians who are currently traveling, living, or working abroad are being cautioned to be careful in unfamiliar areas. Zamastanians in Vulkaria (specifically designated conflict zone areas) are being ordered to return either to the capital of Vulkar or to another nation. The global response is slowly being seen as well, with heads of government offering sympathy and support. The governments of Libertas Omnium Maximus and United New England have released statements allowing Zamastanians discounted flights from Vulkaria or back to Zamastan for the next four days, which has been pledged to be covered back in full by the Zamastanian government.