tfw chudsSOCOMGATE:
The Ghat Incident
Special Operations Command emblem since 2025
The Mediterranean: Unidentified bodies recovered near Airbase 201, Authorities announced
December 07, 2024 - 12:58 -- Nigerien authorities discovered three unidentified bodies near the vicinity of Airbase 201, a former United States drone airbase near Agedez, before being transferred to the Niger Armed Forces on December 12, 2023.
“We discovered them near our entrance. It looks deliberate since someone placed their bodies into a single pile,” local quartermaster Alkassoum Mody said.
Local authorities claimed to discover the bodies 2km away from the airbase during the morning, placed directly on the paved road leading to Agadez. Three of the bodies have been identified as Caucasians, while the last two are of Asian and African descent. The victims’ national affiliations are currently unidentifiable due to insufficient identification and inadequate facilities.
“As of now, we can’t resolve the investigation for indiscernible reasons,” lead investigator Massaoudou Tandja said.
Investigation authorities request support from Interpol due to its potential links between the growing human-trafficking schemes across Africa and the mass exodus of White Americans crossing through the Sahel region to Libya.
DIA Intelligence Report: Communique 48-03/21/2025 - Concerning the Ghat Incident
[Exceprt from Communique 48-03/21/2025 - Concerning the Ghat Incident, Section Conclusion, Page 13.]
Local accounts of the incident, satellite imagery intelligence, and thorough interviews of suspected persons confirm Herny D. Matthew’s hypothesis concerning an unauthorized operation. Neither Commander Brant Howard nor Deputy Commander Julian C. Sharp approved any clandestine endeavor taking place in Ghat, with commanders of their respective units expressing similar sentiments. Thus, an unwarranted group of agents could be a culprit in such an indiscernible operation.
More interestingly, some local pedestrians suggest more than five agents fought during the incident. Details of such rumors weren’t precise, however: Some claimed two people were captured and sold by Tuareg raiders, albeit lurid on specific details, and a few suggested that the rest of the remains were buried 100 miles away from Ghat.
The goal of such an operation is indiscernible; South Libya poses no strategic threat to warrant any actions by our military. The New Transaharan Trade Phenomenon (NTTP) and the Free State of Sabha have yet to pose any threat to the United States' interest besides related humanitarian crises.
President McCallum authorized a retrieval mission to recover the Robinsons and a joint investigation with the CIA for intelligence support. He expects an articulate report by April 1st, at least before the senatorial hearing commences.
C-SPAN: CIA Deputy Director Adrian Hollis Hearing on Foreign Intelligence and Clandestine Service
[Exceprt from senatorial hearing between Deputy Director Adrian Hollis and Virginia Senator Mark Warner]
Mark Warner: “I can vouch for everyone here that the discovery of Ghat concerns us, especially when neither our intelligence agencies nor armed forces are even aware such an operation took place. However, I think we should leave the personal side of the incident for a moment to understand the technical aspect, or more specifically, how did they reach the city? As far as I’m aware, we don’t have any base of operations bordering Libya or the Sahel region. So here’s my question, Mr. Hollis: How did they fly over to Libya despite the lack of support and infrastructure?” -- [02:48:11]
Adrian Hollis: “Thank you for the question, Senator Warner. We can confirm that they used the Robinson R44 helicopter to cross through the region, and its capabilities are well-suited for such an operation since it has a range of 350 miles. We discovered that there were a few inventories of fuel reserves, and the fuel storage was modified, which could mean they planned to exfiltrate when they concluded the mission.” -- [02:53:33]
Mark Warner: “Did the retrieval mission reveal anything that merits our interest? You did confirm the helicopter returned to a French forward base from a joint operation, am I correct?” -- [02:54:16]
Adrian Hollis: “Yes, senator. Communication and satellite-based navigation equipment is stripped out from the control panel, which we could assume is that they’re committed to keeping such an operation clandestine to even our own. They also fly at a low altitude due to the excessive damage made to the landing skids. What’s more interesting is that this was a helicopter model the Nigerian Armed Forces claimed to have lost in Kastina.” -- [02:54:48]
Presidential Daily Brief: 48-98 - 04/28/2025
[Exceprt from Presidential Daily Brief: 48-98 - 04/28/2025, Section Progress on Operation Sherlock, Page 21.]
The joint investigation by the CIA and DIA discovered that Franklin Al-Kabeer and Mann Sutton could be the other two alleged operators in the Ghat Incident. Their disappearance during Unite States' collaboration with France in Operation Serval, local testimonies of their whereabouts in Agadez, sightings of an armed Caucasian and African wandering together across the Djado Plataeu since April 17, 2024, and their sudden departure on November 28 make them very likely suspects.
However, the investigation over Southwestern Libya has yet to produce results: Local accounts provide no meaningful leads to their remains aside from conflicting directions, and satellite intelligence of both agencies made another error of identifying a boulder as helicopter wreckage.
Lead Operator John V. Murphy also recommends an immediate withdrawal due to the growing whereabouts of his men’s presence in Ghat. His team confronted a Tuareg raiding party at 02:30 PM, being told to leave the premises in 24 hours. The exchange almost led to a firefight until Murphy de-escalated the situation by negotiating with the lead raider. It also coincides with France’s withdrawal from the investigation, which means we’re no longer allowed to station in Madama.
McCallum’s Journal: April 30th, 2025
A bunch of chuds gathered in front of the White House yesterday, trying to scream their lungs out over the whole SOCOMGATE thing. I didn’t pay attention to those geezers until one of them climbed over the fence perimeter, and impressively enough, they almost lunged at me. Funny these morons keep yammering about how I’m a Chinese sleeper agent when they keep sucking off to █████ like a grungy Paddle Pop.
Still, I can't blame them for thinking there’s more to the incident other than someone gone rogue. Like, from what I’ve read from the dossier Matt gave me, almost all of them are pretty normal and don’t really have much of a problematic background besides the other two. Then again, it doesn’t explain why they would even fly to some desert backwater in the first place, and we don’t know if the other two agents were even there at all, so it’s we’re speculating at this point.
Although, this makes me wonder who killed them. Matt and Hollis gave a reasonable answer: It’s the Tuaregs. I wouldn’t be surprised if they mistook them for some Galt-larping farts from the Free State; they’ve been at each others’ necks since Geoff took over Ubari. That doesn’t explain why they would make a whole scene out of it, in our old base, no less.
Illi’s Diary: December 17, 2024
I can’t stop thinking about Sabha since we stopped there. The place feels like Disneyland and way more fancy than home. I asked father when will we head to the city again, and he said never. I asked father again why he frowned as if he was disappointed in me again.
But today was an interesting one because someone new just joined us.
A black man emerged from the high dunes while we were crossing by. He was waving his hands from the distance as if he was trying to say hi and tried to reach us, but father shuffled me back since he thought the man was up to no good. Father told me to stay put with the caravan folks while he, Brahim, and Aksil take a look at him. At first, he looks like one of those friendly servants from Sabha, but he has a lot of pockets in his chest, and there’s a huge gun on his back. He's also covered in sand too, so he might be playing in the desert for too long.
He seems friendly enough to give up his gun to father and let him join the caravan, although people keep staring at him. Father forbid me to talk to him unless I wanted to eat a block of salt for dinner, so I asked Brahim and Aksil. Asking Brahim is no good since he doesn’t want to talk about it, but I did make Aksil speak after throwing sand at his face over-and-over.
Aksil said that he’s not one of those people in Sabha and said he speaks English. I said everyone talks English there, but he said he was way better than Brahim and the servants, and he looks out of place for being one. When I asked where he wanted to go, he said as far away from Libya.
The Warring State of Libya - A Country at War
- Thread starter ShahAbbas1571
- Start date
[Media] The Mediterranean - UN Report Resurgence of Pirates
The Mediterranean:
UN Report Resurgence of Pirate
[Note: Click on image for full-resolution]
UN Report Resurgence of Pirate
[Note: Click on image for full-resolution]
Date: January 1st, 2027
Author: The Mediterranean
(The Mediterranean) - After three years of steady decline, activities of endemic piracy and illicit human trafficking began to resurge the last year. Published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), studies stated that cases of corsair sightings and activities rose exponentially last year, with the exact estimate raising from 47 confirmed reports during 2025 to 211 since 2026.
The following transcript is a recorded monologue by Julia Hoffmann, chief contributor of The Mediterranean. The following subject presides over the matter concerning the resurgent activities by the corsairs and the implications presented by the UNODC studies.
<--- Transcript --->
<The video begins with a panoramic shot of the UNODC Headquarters in Vienna, Austria. After seconds of scene-gazing, the video cuts to a press conference over the recently-published study, with Stross Meckelberg - UNODC global spokesperson, answering questions from many journalist agencies. Julia Hoffmann narrates a second after the video began.>
Hoffmann: “In the cold respites of Vienna, Austria, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime published an annual study concerning the pirate crisis crippling the Mediterranean Sea. When Associate Press’s Fatima Susianto asked summary of its results, Johan Nygaardsvold answered this on the matter. [00:15]
<The video then cuts to Stross Meckelberg as he answers Susianto’s question.>
Nygaardsvold: “In 2025, corsair activities are relatively low thanks to Operation Maria. Back then, there were only 47 cases, and most of them were illegal fishing. However, last year experienced a sudden escalation. To understand how distressing it is, the estimate of cases went from less than 50 confirmed cases to 211. [00:39]
<After Meckelberg’s answer, the video cuts to a shot of the summarization section provided by the UNODC study - Commission Study of Drugs and Crime Activities, 2026.>
Hoffmann: “According to the study, the Mediterranean Sea experienced what they noted as “a sudden resurgence of pirate activities” since 2026. Half of the 217 confirmed cases are related to illegal fishmongering, while the other half comprises ransoming, smuggling, human trafficking, and even the first organized hijacking since 2025. [01:05]
<The video eventually shifts to the “Implications and Suggestions” chapter as the accompanying motion graphic highlights its major implications.>
Hoffmann: “It also suggests that despite the brief success of EU’s Operation Maria, it failed to crackdown the illicit organizations involved in the pirate crisis, thus allowing themselves to reorganize into a more sophisticated state. [01:21]
<After the motion graphic sequences of the study, the video returns to the press conference with Stross Meckelberg. Susianto asked how organized they are in comparison to previous years, and the spokesperson responded with…>
Nygaardsvold: “If we were to evaluate how organized the pirates are now, then I have to say they’re terrifyingly sophisticated. Back then, most of the pirates used exposed civilian communications and were mostly disorganized, which led to the early success of the EU’s joint fleet. But now, their current methods made Operiaton Maria less effective in their mission. [01:42]
Susianto: “Does Martin Geoff and his Free State of Sabha have any involvement with their current state? [01:51]
Nygaardsvold: “Most of their equipment derives from Africa and the Middle East, but Sabha serves as their logistical hub, so I have to assess that they have a central role in the resurgence. [02:07]
<The video cuts back to another motion graphic, this time zooming toward the city of Sabha, the capital of the Free State, followed by images ranging from the quasi-art-deco architecture of key urban structures to the illicit human-trafficking scheme organized by the free state.>
Hoffmann: “Sabha’s involvement with the Neo-Barbary Crisis stretches from its inception as a self-proclaimed country, being the first to establish a commercial presence for the pirates residing across the Gulf of Sirte and directly involved in key incidents. [02:39]
<Video suddenly cuts to VICE’s interview with Martin Geoff, the so-called Chief Representative of the Free State of Sabha. Such an interview is similar to those hosted by The Mediterranean’s Charlotte McLamb.>
Hoffmann: “The study also closely coincides with Martin Geoff’s interview with VICE. When briefed with such results, he answered with the following. [02:39]
Martin: “I think it’s pretty outrageous to accuse me for whole the issue, to be honest. It’s like pointing fingers at a gun store owner for a school shooting instead of the shooter. Besides, I think the positives outweigh the negatives, in my opinion. My boats let many people in the gulf feed themselves and their families, so the whole piracy nonsense is just a sad cope since many Europeans today aren’t competitive enough. [03:41]
<The video ends with a generic motion graphic ending typical to every newsreel of The Mediterranean.>
<--- End Transcript --->
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[Media] The Mediterranean - UN Report Resurgence of Pirates - Author's Note
The Mediterranean - UN Report Resurgence of Pirates - Author's Note
Sup, my dudes and dudettes. I hope you folks are having a fun time with the latest.
I'm sorry if the writing isn't as elaborate as the teaser implies, especially compared to the former two. The piece is just kinda an excuse to make a mobile version of the YouTube page because I didn't like how most of the mockups in r/AlternateHistory is just terrible edit of someone's screenshot. Plus, I might upload a template file soon, with a little bit of an AI-to-SVG conversion here-and-there.
Anyway, here are the thumbnails I made for the piece, in case people are interested in it. Again, I tried to make the thumbnails as authentic as possible; something you can definitely imagine from their respective channels.
Sup, my dudes and dudettes. I hope you folks are having a fun time with the latest.
I'm sorry if the writing isn't as elaborate as the teaser implies, especially compared to the former two. The piece is just kinda an excuse to make a mobile version of the YouTube page because I didn't like how most of the mockups in r/AlternateHistory is just terrible edit of someone's screenshot. Plus, I might upload a template file soon, with a little bit of an AI-to-SVG conversion here-and-there.
Anyway, here are the thumbnails I made for the piece, in case people are interested in it. Again, I tried to make the thumbnails as authentic as possible; something you can definitely imagine from their respective channels.
Flags of the Free State of Sabha: A Teaser
Flags of the Free State of Sabha: A Teaser
Yes, I'm back... for the third time!
The premise is relatively simple, although I wrote some supplementary fluff to explain the faction's premise.
Aside from tweaking the graphics and proofreading the accompanying description, it's pretty much done.
I'll also explain my absence... as usual.
Yes, I'm back... for the third time!
The premise is relatively simple, although I wrote some supplementary fluff to explain the faction's premise.
Aside from tweaking the graphics and proofreading the accompanying description, it's pretty much done.
I'll also explain my absence... as usual.
[Media] Flags of the Free State of Sabha
Flags of the Free State of Sabha
Martin Geoff's Journal Entry #13 - April 29th, 2021.
The coup was a success, more than Ljubomir and I initially thought. We know Mahmoud’s men are as fearsome as a manicured cat, but we never thought he was that much of a loser to abandon them. Worse, he emptied the town bank and left with whatever bags he can carry, so I sent some of our men to chase him. Although it ended up being futile when we realized that he was heading north, so we have to let him go.
Honestly, for all his flaws, I admire how much he could even tolerate this place. It's awful: Not as bad as Tripoli, but if there's competition for the shittiest city in this war-riddled country, they'll be a second contender. Like, there's a gaping sinkhole the size of a suburban flat with water pipes jolting out. I asked one of the locals why they didn't cover it, and they said Mahmoud was too stingy to spend his money on maintenance. Even necessities like water and electricity are a luxury here: Most of their skilled folks left, so people here have had to trade goods like dates and scavenged goods for water and fuel since then.
Interestingly, we find out that Mahmoud did a bit of an auctioning show here. Ljubomir found a bunch of people locked inside one of the city warehouses. He thought they were refugees at first, which sounds reasonable considering the traffic happening across the desert. We didn't think much of them until Ljubomir realized they all had tags on their feet.
Even better, he left a ledger of all the transactions he made since: sold four as workforce for 273 dollars, an order of two by some northeastern folk for 171, a 2,1-meter tall man as a bodyguard for 112, and a Senegalese woman of "womanly duties" for a client at Ubari. And he made a decent buck from it too; making a decent average of $115,000 monthly. Hell, if he wasn't much of an incompetent shmuck, he would've made more from it.
Ljubomir told me what to do with them since they can't sit around the warehouse forever. I thought of letting them go since I’m not in the mood of babysitting them, but this place is such a mess, so I have them do some dust cleaning here-and-there. It’s the least they could do if they’re going to squat around here.
Martin Geoff's Journal Entry #108 - November 11th, 2023.
One day, I have to write a book about the entire history of Sabha because for every nook of gravel I can peer into, it just shows more crannies I can peek over. Even more so when a bunch of dummies thought threatening me would be a good idea yesterday.
They call themselves the Jaysh Al-Akhdar, or the Green Army. Surprisingly, they're the only Gaddafi-worshipping lot left in this country since most of their types kinda phased out. At first, I didn't think much of them; they seemed like a pamphlet-pushing bunch, and aside from ranting in front of the city hall, they don't amount much to anything of note. Hell, I thought they were not worth banning since watching them cry about their failed revolution gave me a delightful grin, even more so when realizing that Sabha used to be one of their biggest strongholds.
But honestly, they didn't strike a nerve until they thought of taking over the city hall and the radio station. Life-threatening? Not really, but they took down one of our men enough for me to treat the situation seriously. I didn't want to riddle both buildings with holes, so Ljubomir thought up the fabulous idea of just gassing them out, and it worked. We managed to arrest most of them, but a few managed to slip.
I thought that tarring their hides and dropping them off in the middle of the desert would be a funny idea, but some of the local elders would have none of that. Few of them are related to the local tribes here, and Ljubomir said humiliating them would be unwise since It'll give the LNA a bunch of ammo against us. So, I have no choice but to give them their least deserving punishment: Exile. It sucks that they’re leaving scot-free, but I'm not in the position of pissing off the Arabs without having my head shoved on a pike.
Martin Geoff's Journal Entry #237 - September 27th, 2025.
I don't remember when or where I thought up the whole idea of the Free State, must've been a long time ago, at least. I'm not a Rand-worshipping fart who screeches about taxes or liberty, but there's an appeal to living in a world where people won't screw you over by the success of your labor. Imagine, instead of paying the government to make shittier roads, you encourage small-time businesses to fund infrastructure projects out of mutual benefit.
Although, you think out of all the places you're going to start that dream, Libya isn't one of them. It's bad enough I didn't spend the cash the way they wanted, I pretty much gave them a middle finger when I phone-called Ljubomir into the scene. And honestly, I thought it was a fool's goner the moment the LNA tried to rally the whole country against us. I was an inch close to committing a Mahmoud, except I didn't have anywhere else to go.
But I didn't. I just went with my ideas and see how it goes. There's no turning back from it anyway, so I might as well head on for the sake of it. And, you know what? It's all worth it in the end.
Sabha went from Libya’s second-biggest shithole to the shining city upon the hill. Ever since we took reign, we carved up an Eden in the middle of this war-riddled country: The lights shine bright, the roads are clean, businesses are flourishing, and for the first time of their lives, the locals have a happy grin on their faces.
They trust us now. Ljubomir and I used to have a hard time to even court with them without being gawked at by the elders, but ever since I dragged them out of poverty, they've been one of our most loyal lots. Everyone from every corner of this country are flocking to us: From carpenters, entrepreneurs, and even engineers, they spent their last buck to settle down here. Even the blacks the mainstream media keep crying over are thankful for what we've done for them; giving them purpose in their lives is probably the best thing that happened to them.
Best of all, some folks from home are flocking here in waves. Right now, there are like ten thousand of us here. Ten thousand! Like, there are more of us here than they are in Guam. And they’re helping us develop our little slice of heaven in strides. The marble palace stuff wouldn’t be a thing without the help of our friend from Wisconsin, and the Art-Deco nonsense is impossible without Matthias' work.
If I keep this up, the whole world might as well give me the key to Libya. If I can carve an Eden from a tiny patch of sand, Imagine what I could do with an entire country.
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[Media] Flags of the Free State of Sabha: A Follow-up
Flags of the Free State of Sabha: A Follow-up
Note: Unlike Cyberpunk, there's an actual turtle in Red Dead 2.
Introduction
Note: Unlike Cyberpunk, there's an actual turtle in Red Dead 2.
Introduction
Yes, I know I said soon, and yes, I'm a month late... again! Although, this time, I have good excuses for my absence: I bought Red Dead Redemption 2, and Starfield Direct coincidentally went live in the first month of June.
Note: Some screenshots from Google Doc.
But seriously, aside from that, It's because I have to revise the script more than three times. I wasn't satisfied with the results I wrote; It's either pretty underwhelming or too cringeworthy to even get published. Like, I was a bit conflicted over which format I should go with. At one point, I tried to replicate something similar to my SOCOMGATE stuff, but since the piece is about Martin Geoff, it wouldn't make sense narrative-wise. I tried to write an audio transcript, but it was so awful that I threw it out. So, it was a miracle that I ended up loving the final draft, even though some of you folks might not share the same sentiment.
And honestly, I've been doing a lot of commission work since the start of the year. Ever since I posted a map about Germany, people flocked toward me to ask for their own. I thought that since I'm building back my bank account, I might as well do a couple of some anyway. It was fun working with all of them, but I do miss focusing on my own personal projects. Hence, the reason why I'm a bit late than usual.
Anyway, here's the stuff I have to say so far...
Flag and Graphic Design
Note: Basically this flag, but less ornate.
Note: Basically this flag, but less ornate.
Concerning the flags, there's an interesting process I went through with this graphic. At first, I planned to merely post a single flag and some post-effects, something similar to my piece on the Islamic State. I went through a couple of processes: I love the first California-esque piece, but it's relatively unoriginal; the second one is probably my least favorite of the bunch; and the final design is the one that set itself right.
However, I can't use all of them, especially when you're planning to use only one of them. But I went through a "Eureka!" phase after reading some leftover Atlas I have from middle school; I saw one page entirely dedicated to flags, and they have descriptions describing their basic trivia. Since then, instead of using one, I wrote a brief history for each flag.
Design-wise, the flag was meant to be Rhodesia-esque. I want something that screams, "I'm Rhodesia 2.0!!!"; something similar to them but with a modernized take. Considering that the Free State of Sabha is just an amalgamation of Bioshock's Rapture and every white settler state that existed in history, I'm happy with how the final design culminates into.
Conclusion
Note: Glimpse for the next main map update.
Note: Glimpse for the next main map update.
Well, that's pretty much it. I don't really have much to say unless I want to stretch things out.
And If you're wondering, yes: I'm still making stuff for the timeline. In fact, I'm planning to update the main map with a couple of new designs and such. It's been months since I made anything for this timeline, so I'm preparing to make a decent wave of updates; There's one about the Libyan National Army, and I thought of extrapolating the crisis between Indonesia and Australia I keep hinting at.
I hope you people enjoy the read. There's more to come soon.
I genuinely love to hate the Free State. Each time I read about them I find myself thinking "hope the Islamic State kicks their asses" and then I feel bad about wanting the Islamic State to succeed, even if in a fiction setting 🙃
As always great update!
As always great update!
[Media] Warring State of Libya (01/12/2027): A Teaser
Warring State of Libya (01/12/2027): A Teaser
Yes, I'm back!
And yes, there's a new map coming in, especially an update on the war.
See you in January, ladies and gents!
Yes, I'm back!
And yes, there's a new map coming in, especially an update on the war.
See you in January, ladies and gents!
[Map] Warring State of Libya - January 2027
Warring State of Libya - January 2027
JANUARY 2027: TO ANOTHER MISERABLE YEAR
National Affairs
JANUARY 2027: TO ANOTHER MISERABLE YEAR
National Affairs
1 - Governorate Missive: Concerning the takeover of Warfalla Trail
January 12th, 2027
Governor of Mizdah
Mizdah, Mizdah Province
To the Esteemed and Honourable Qayid,
I received your letter demanding a comprehensive explanation regarding an incident following the Hassawna withdrawal from a commercial trail leading to Ash Shuwayrif. Thus, with proper testimonies and investigation, I compiled this missive to articulate the essential information and clarify any misconceptions concerning key events set in motion.
To summarize the incident, the highway connecting Qaryat and Ash Shuwayrif, colloquially known as the Warfalla Trail, was taken over a few hours after the Hassawna withdrew from the area. It was an endeavor masterminded by Hussein Al-Gaddaf Aswani, one of the commanding officers within the local militia; he organized a swift occupation with whatever resources he had and consolidated his grounds within the same circumstance.
After receiving news of his actions, we arrested him for waging an unauthorized military expedition and put him under tribunal; his men were contentious during the apprehension, but he persuaded them otherwise to avoid unnecessary escalation. Thus far, we have allocated enough information from investigations and testimonies to produce a conclusive summary, a procedure that amounts to 85 hours in total.
He detailed that over 250 men joined his cause, but his subordinates suggest otherwise; most of them describe their numbers as less than Hussain has claimed, and instead of being motivated by revolutionary zeal, they merely joined due to promised loot and rewards. Their equipment varies from men-to-men, ranging from automatic rifles to antiquated bolt actions. However, almost all of them come from a consistent origin: They've looted their weapons from the remnants of skirmishes between our men and the raiding Hassawna militias.
The tribunal also reveals his rather dubious motivation since he waged it under the pretense of our banner. Hussein justified it by asserting such a move would benefit the governorate; he secured the only reliable trail between the Green Army and the neighboring Warfalla tribe at the most opportunistic time. Ostensibly, the locals shared similar sentiments and even welcomed such an incident, especially the caravan merchants; they were frustrated by the excessive tolling the Hassawna imposed against them.
Regarding what right his actions represent the will of our struggle, he asserted, "If you people won't take such an opportunity, then I will."
We are finalizing the tribunal, and our judges will declare his sentence on 19th January. Until we receive further notice, we will continue the procedure accordingly.
Mustafa Al-Warfalli, Governor of Mizdah
2 - The Mediterranean: Magarha family withdrew from Confederation of the Tribes
Author: Julian Emmert
(January 07, 2027 - 10:37) -- One of the members of the Confederation of the Tribes, the Magarha family, has withdrawn from the union as both sides failed to resolve an internal dispute, later confirmed by its representatives on January 6th.
"Due to the mistreatment of our family from the Grand Council and the failure to fulfill the terms established by the Treaty of Masqan, we set our sights elsewhere and withdrew from the so-called Confederation," Magarha Representative Mahmoud Jibril Al-Megarha said.
In response, the Confederation formally condemned the family, rebuking the Magarha's statement of lacking proper representation as hypocritical, and unanimously declared sanctions on essential goods.
"The Grand Council has declared a verdict: we have decided to impose sanctions of water and foodstuff on the Magarha family, who had yet to keep their word on lifting their unfair tolling scheme against our caravans despite acknowledging and ratifying the established terms," Head Spokesperson Mustapha Al-Saadi said.
Acceded to the Confederation last year, many praised their entry as a diplomatic triumph for the Grand Council against the Free State of Sabha, whom Martin Geoff expressed interest in the Magarha until an incident concerning the death of their representative. However, their withdrawal leaves the tribal union in a precarious situation.
"The Grand Council should reconsider their grievances, at least enough for them to join back. If left unchecked, Martin Geoff could take advantage and bring the Magarha into Sabha's fold and even threaten the cohesion of the Confederation," Defense Analyst Alan Herver commented.
3 - DIA Intelligence Report: Communique 48-01/12/2027 - Confirmed Iroquois Anti-Air Platform Sightings
[Exceprt from Communique 48-01/12/2027 - Confirmed Iroquois Anti-Air Platform Sightings, Section Abstract, Page 02.]
After contacting several operators and compiling photographic intelligence, we have confirmed the whereabouts of at least one of the lost Iroquois Anti-Air Platforms; both visual and testimonial descriptions match the specifications of the Moroccan package model. Location-wise, It's currently within Tuareg territory, west of the region's desert escarpment - the Mesak Settafet.
By what means the Tuareg State acquired the platform has yet to be determined; they demonstrate little political and economic capacity to procure the system, let alone operate it functionally. Directorate of Analysis provided a hypothesis that their raiders claimed the system from a caravan group heading towards Sabha territory but cautioned such notions due to their limited projection.
During a joint investigation with our Morrocan counterpart (General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance), we had difficulty assessing whether the disappearance was due to deliberate arms trade or mere negligence on the part of local security; one of our agents suggested the latter to her counterparts faced a fierce reprimand from Executive Director Abdelouafi Laftit, only to be personally rescinded by the king after being informed over the alleged conspirator.
Our counterpart - Adrian Hollis (CIA), does concur with the agent's explanation; he asserted that Morroco faced a similar incident when a local quartermaster stationed in Tichla, Western Sahara, sold 873 AK-103 from the armory to the Polisario Front, who then attempted cover his arms trafficking scheme by brandishing prop guns as replacements. However, we cautioned against such speculation due to the Iroquois being a strategic weapon system; it's unlikely such a security breach would occur due to negligence despite the Moroccan Army's complications with corruption.
We also determined the system stands useless to Tuareg forces; their lack of technical expertise and proper logistics would render the Iroquois a mere war trophy for their soldiers to parade over. However, we suggest commencing preventive measures; Sabha still expressed interest in reclaiming the Iroquois, and we confirmed that at least three émigrés are veterans of their respective air defense artillery brigades.
4 - Al-Rashidi's Journal: January 11th, 2027
Qasim had expanded our dominion once again, as his nature would allow it. Out of all the men who volunteered for the expedition, it was not the old guard who fought under Al-Baghdadi but aspirants such as him instead. His youthful stature didn't strike me as worthy of generalship, but it wasn't until his success with Al-Maruf that he proved far more capable than my initial glance would suggest.
His dedication to statecraft is also impressive enough for him to deliver entire ledgers and reports via couriers since his arrival at the White Haruj. While most of these are concerned with economic and demographic affairs, he also provided expeditionary accounts from his soldiers, one of which proved to be an intriguing and even haunting read.
One of his men described Waw An Namus - an oasis unscathed by the war; their founding was an impetus for the recent surge of settlements across the volcanic plain. Despite the harsh desert, they set themselves as a model community due to their flourishing crops, producing potatoes and watermelons; they yielded more than enough to trade surpluses with their neighbors and caravans. The locals revealed their ways: They recycled discarded bottles once trashed by tourists to become droplet contraptions for irrigation, allowing them to cultivate entire rows without wastefully drying their oasis.
The expedition concerning the northern fringes raised an eyebrow, however. The 2020 census under Haftar suggests there is a town there - Al-Fawakhir, but Qasim seemed unusually skeptical, sending a scouting party to explore the area. Instead of a bustling community, it was endless columns of white-schemed tents. "The settlement is void of life," their reports wrote, asserting that only the strays of jirds and camels frolic there. They searched for signs of raids or natural calamities, at least something to explain such serenity. However, when they barged to what appeared to be its gathering ground, from food to furniture, all were set in place as if the supposed people here hadn't left.
Regardless of the plethora of reports, what is certain is the nonexistent presence of the LNA throughout the deeper south. Despite their claims, Khalid Ibn Khammas only rules over Kurfa, and even then, the unruly Tebbou families are a thorn in their occupation. The rest are self-sustaining communities neglected by those who deemed themselves legitimate authorities, the exact lots who bent their knee for Haftar.
5 - Libyan National Army Intelligence Report: Skirmish between Mustafa Clique and Hussain Clique
Serial: 11-173
Date: 01/05/2027
Summary:
Mustafa Clique raided the western regions ruled by the Hussain Clique. The hinterlands surrounding Al Haniyah and Marawah encompassed the entire theatre of the skirmish, with most engagements either occurring at high elevations or on roads adjacent to the hills. 100+ military personnel were lost from both sides, while 150 civilians were either killed, maimed, or internally displaced.
Timeline:
10:34 AM: Westward of Marawah and Al Haniyah experienced rapid artillery barrages fired by the Mustafa Clique, inflicting seven casualties against local garrisons and eventual withdrawal due to overwhelming firepower.
11:41 AM: Raiding parties proceeded to encroach the surrounding hinterlands of the two towns, with reports of deliberate looting and extortion of local communities committed by Mustafa's men.
11:56 AM: Hussain Clique responded after a series of delays and miscommunications, amassing a force large enough to counteract the marauding parties with two detachments; total personnel ranges over 300-700 men backed by armored spearheads.
12:37 PM: Both belligerents made contact at a westward highway connecting Al Haniyah. The defending army inflicted nine casualties and pressured the raiders into withdrawal.
01:27 PM: Mustafa's force feigned a retreat from Marawah and inflicted 27 casualties against the arriving detachment; the armored vanguard leading the column fell into a sinkhole and caused traffic among its personnel.
03:22 PM: Commander of the raiding mission against Marawah was killed by a stray mortar fire; both sides tried to reclaim his cadaver, but the current whereabouts of its splintered remains are unknown. Subordinate officer immediately takes command.
05:03 PM: Mustafa Clique lost 41 personnel; Hussain's forces counterattacked the raiders distracted by excessive looting, claiming 17 prisoners during their hasty withdrawal.
06:07 PM: Skirmish across the region is over.
Addendum: Before the skirmish, signs of discontent grew from rank-and-file soldiers and lower-echelon officers against Mustafa's inner circle. Declining quality of life, depleting food rations, lack of payment, and supposed embellishment of their commanders' lifestyle led many to question their authority. Aside from distracting the soldiers through looting, half of their combatants killed in the raid were alleged conspirators. Form of dissent varies among factions within the clique; some demand a change of leadership, while others contemplate switching allegiance to the army or the Tahloob forces.
6 - Northern Front: Libyan National Army and Tobruk Clique to convene over territorial union
Author: Dimitry Vasily
(January 11, 2027 - 09:13) -- Since the 2024 Sidi Umar Deal, which established the guaranteed freedom of movement for both parties' trade caravans, the relations between the Libyan National Army and the Tobruk Clique slowly thawed from a convenient partnership to a relatively sincere pseudo-allianceship. From collaborative humanitarian works to joint caravan escorts, it eventually culminated in military pursuits, evident by LNA support of local garrisons during the Hussain-led skirmish over Al-Ghazlah.
However, It wasn't until January 8th that both of their respective leaders - Khalid Ibn Khammas (LNA) and Mohammed Farkash (Tobruk Clique), announced a diplomatic convene ready to be set in Tobruk on January 11th. The negotiation will concern political and military affairs and the extent of such a union, with a diplomatic envoy from Turkey serving as a third-party intermediary seeking common grounds from both sides.
Khalid Ibn Khammas exclaimed the convene could be a turning point for Libya, declaring that the "restoration of the rightful government is finally at arms reach." His counterpart also expressed that, if successful, the conclusion of the convening could be the first step toward reunification of the warring country. France and Turkey, who expressed interest in supporting the LNA through Tobruk, also lauded the negotiation and its potential conclusion.
The convene has beneficial implications for both parties: Tobruk's secure port will provide the LNA with a consistent route for their supporting co-belligerents, enabling them to receive a flow of equipment and supplies, and Farkash will receive Turkish investment in their efforts to rebuild defunct facilities neglected since the civil war.
The convene will conclude between the 14th and 17th, per Farkash's statement concerning such a question.
[Map] Warring State of Libya - January 2027 (Foreign Affairs)
Foreign Affairs
1 - CNN: Senator Horatio Jabarti to introduce bill to authorize military intervention against Libya
[Exceprt from CNN footage of Horatio Jabarti answering questions about the pending Libyan military intervention resolution]
Julia Klementz: “Did President McCallum encourage you to introduce the bill?” -- [04:13]
Horatio Jabarti: “No, he didn’t make any move on it. In fact, it was the opposite: I came to him to support the bill. We shared the same ideas on what should be done with— for Libya but were slightly iffy about the details. After a few talks, we ironed it out, and here we are.” -- [04:21]
Julia Klementz: “Do you believe the bill will pass?” -- [04:25]
Horatio Jabarti: “Maybe, maybe not. But in the end, we can tell who will be on the right and wrong side of history, that’s for sure.” -- [04:32]
Joseph McAfferty: “Would invading—” -- [04:35]
Horatio Jabarti: “Okay, let me stop you right there! First: We’re not invading; we’re intervening. Second: We’re doing this on behalf of Libya's government; the country hasn’t had a legitimate one for six or seven years from now. Calling it an invasion is misleading because we’re helping the Libyans to take their country back.” -- [04:43]
Julia Klementz: “Do you think the invasion will cause severe consequences similar to Iraq?” -- [04:49]
Horatio Jabarti: “No, because we want to intervene to stop the crisis as well. Sure, we can just ignore the slavery and piracy plaguing the whole country, but that’s not a thought of good conscience, is it?” -- [04:58]
2 - Hassan Tatanaki’s Letter to Zaim
January 2nd, 2027
Ministry of Agriculture and Public Water
Tripoli, Tripoli Province
Zaim,
One of my secretaries has received word from a group of U.N envoys; they made the effort of crossing through Tunisian borders to meet us at Abu Kammash. They represent the World Food Programme at the personal behest of General Secretary Helen Clark and Executive Director Bufford Timm to discuss the impending food shortage we’ve been struggling against since we took over Tripoli.
When our men apprehended them for further interrogation, they insisted on relaying their memorandum to us. Thus, I took the liberty of receiving it first to understand the matter, so here’s a summary of what they are proposing:
1. Provide food aid and financial support to famine-critical regions,
2. Consult water and agricultural development and management,
3. Assist local provinces to curb famines and food shortages,
4. Conduct research to prevent mass starvation and increase crop yieldings.
In return, we do not interfere with their operations; they are rather insistent on being capable of distributing it on their own. However, they need us to safeguard their staff and prevent food aid from being sold as goods; they cited their history in Yemen to suggest that some local smugglers and peddlers could exploit it for their ends.
As much as your stubbornness would suggest otherwise, we need their help to fend off the impending starvation. It’s terrible enough we’re unable to produce our crops self-sufficiently, we cannot sustain ourselves with neighboring imports, and the warehouses are wearing thin. Thus, it’s a detriment to reject their aid when our people are cradling their stomachs in droves.
They’re waiting for our response within the next 72 hours, so I suggest we hold an official conference to negotiate such a program.
Hassan Tatanaki, Minister of Agriculture and Public Water
3 - The Mediterranean: France-Turkey announced joint naval operation under the Ankara Accord
Author: Alan Herver
(January 10, 2027 - 10:37) -- Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accompanied by French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to Ankara, has announced the formation of a joint naval operation between France and Turkey under the Ankara Accord.
“With the pirate crisis disrupting our people’s livelihood, we took the initiative to work together like the history of old.” Macron said in a speech, “With the formation of the accord, this would allow us to protect our country, enforce ocean-wide security, protect international trade, and inevitably, dismantle piracy once and for all.
The joint mission is separate from Operation Maria, with its strategic objectives, operations, and command structure differing from their Brussels-based counterpart.
When questioned about the purpose of the Ankara Accord, Erdogan explained the need for “an independent and flexible task force capable of supporting their country's national interest and those neighboring over the Mediterranean Sea, ones which possess the necessary logistics and capabilities to commit such mission adequately.”
However, speculations have occurred since the Libyan National Army announced their diplomatic talks with the neighboring Tobruk Clique. Many observers speculate the formation of the security pact was to circumvent the deadlock concerning both countries and the belligerent participants of Operation Maria, especially regarding military support for the LNA.
[Map] Warring State of Libya - January 2027: A Follow-Up
Warring State of Libya - January 2077
A Follow-Up
Introduction
A Follow-Up
Introduction
1.1 One of the last persons I met on Vanilla American server (Rust).
Yes, I'm back.
And yes, I did post the map somewhat late; I was trying to post it early despite being vague on the date, so my apologies. But seriously, the last five months were honestly the laziest time I ever had; I started wasting my time on DayZ, tried to be productive, ended up playing Starfield, tried to be productive again, and then finally relapsed with Rust. It wasn't until some assholes who offlined my base that I went, "Screw this, I'm off!" and went back to doing illustrations again.
As usual, I'm writing down the behind-the-scenes stuff, from the narrative to the design. There's more to talk about here than my previous follow-ups, but I'll try my best not to bloat it with walls of text this time; I know it can be a tad overwhelming for some.
Design
2.1 The most visible part of the hillshades.
I based the current design on what I've learned since my India piece and a callback to the jarring topography design I used to have from the second iteration. I thought to myself, "Hey, I probably learned a lot ever since 2020, so maybe I could add some terrain again without it looking jarring this time." And for the most part, I am rather proud of the results.
The first radical change I made for the current iteration was the addition of hillshades. I've learned a lot of tricks ever since I first used QGIS; coding projections and dialing Z-factors wasn't much of a rocket science for me, so it allows for a lot of mapmaking potential instead of solely relying on David Rumsey's. Resource-wise, I used files from NaturalEarth because I was too impatient to get that file from GEBCO.com via email, so I just downloaded stuff from the former instead.
2.2 Too lazy to make a comparison, sorry!
Another change I made was switching from my usual Futura/Jost font to Arial. Despite my love for the two, there are moments when it doesn't feel right for some maps, where the details are too important to be blurred out, and it does look like a pretentious version of Comic Sans at times. But ever since I made that India map, I noticed how utilitarian the fonts are, so I thought it could serve as a better alternative to the former two.
While I'm pretty much proud of the end piece, there are some features that I wish could be added and improved if given the chance and effort:
- Better hillshades: I contemplated this right after I uploaded the map. After tinkering with the settings for my next piece (unrelated to the timeline), I found a combination that could allow the hillshades to contrast with the faction colors a lot better than I have now.
- Better label placements: Some of the positioning of the labels feels odd; some are by necessity, while others are too jarring to neglect.
- Accurate map keys: This is probably the mind-boggling tangent in this list because I should've complemented it before. The reference for all the keys, from the cities to regions, is based on doesn't reflect the actual state of Libya since 2009. So, if I have the chance, my first priority when updating the main map again is to correct the keys.
- Photoshopped image shots: Back then, I tried to be more ambitious with some of the images for the news corner but scrapped the idea since I couldn't. Instead of photos I yanked out from Google, I planned to make some unique compositions of them to set some worldbuilding scene. Basically, this composition shot Mattystereo made here: [The People's Army (AAW)]
Writing
3.1 Me when I try to cut out some of my proses (DayZ).
If the wall of text isn't obvious enough, this map accompanies one of the most elaborate pieces I ever wrote. Usually, my main map updates consist of short summaries detailing the events mentioned in the map. But here, I dedicate each of them with their own articles and reports, fleshing out the premise as much as I can.
Personally, it was the most fun experience I had; I had never been this immersed in writing a piece since SOCOMGATE. Despite leaving out crappy grammar and spelling, which led me to proofread the whole thing three times, I never regretted what I wrote. However, I do recognize that writing something that exceeds even Reddit's character limit should be a red flag, and I should've shortened it to make it less intimidating for some.
Anyway, since I don't really have that much to say about the writing process, here are some commentaries for a few articles:
3.2 Waw An Namus, the oasis that I mentioned on the map.
4 - Al-Rashidi's Journal: January 11th, 2027: Probably my favorite piece for the update. This one was originally longer, but it was the few instances where I thought to myself, "Yeah, this is too much," and trimmed as much as I could. I love writing some intricate worldbuilding, especially explaining how locals and even refugees can live here despite the harsh desert. The droplet irrigation piece was inspired by my dad's garden plot, so I researched whether that could be possible in harsh deserts. The Haruj Mountains stand as one of the most interesting places in Libya, so expect me to expand on the subject one day.
5 - Libyan National Army Intelligence Report: Skirmish between Mustafa Clique and Hussain Clique: This one was meant to be a back-and-forth conversation between Martin Geoff and his right-hand man, Ljubomir. The premise is that the latter keeps questioning why the warlords at the coast haven't been hanged by their soldiers yet, causing the former to have a Duckman-esque fit. However, I realized this was meant to be something related to the LNA and the dialogue I wrote for the two admittedly sucked hard. So, I changed the format to the perspective of an LNA intelligence report detailing about the skirmish.
Conclusion
Okay, that's pretty much all I have to say.
As to whether I will be more active, I can't truly answer that; I was pretty confident about the prospects, and we already knew how that turned out. Plus, I have other projects in mind, both personal and commissions. Despite having a lot of ideas written on both paper and mind, it seems like time is always against my side, so I have to pick priorities, unfortunately.
But what is certain is that I will be more active with projects from now on, which means I will have more time to make updates to the timeline; most of the games I've played have gotten stale, fortunately. In fact, I've written stuff on what I'm going to write, especially when it comes to the U.S. perspective. The update about the intervention bill isn't some filler, so take that in mind.
Goodbye, folks!
Thanks, my dude!
Expect more in the future.
I have something to write about Congress trying to pass the intervention act and the president in general.