Asadal: Armed Forces ends military campaign in eastern regionSOBURISANSEONG, ASADAL: The Armed Forces of the Great Kingdom of Asadal ended their two-month military campaign in Hayanttangam, the eastern region of the kingdom, against the forces of the so-called Free Commonwealth of Thajav.
For this campaign, the kingdom mobilized thousands of men, participating troops from the four military branches, including the Grand Royal Guard. The government forces had about one thousand casualties. It has been reported that the Free Kevisbtham Army could have lost about 1/3 of their forces during the conflict. It has been reported as well that at least two hundred civilians lost their lives. It was the largest offensive of the government forces against the rebel group in more than a decade.
Sim Paskalswe, leader of the Free Thajav Movement since 1992 and the most senior member of the Free Commonwealth of Thajav leadership, has been confirmed dead, the rebel group announced last week. It was not clear, however, if he had died as consequence of fighting between government and rebel forces, as it was not confirmed the causes of his death. It has not been announced who will be Paskalswe's successor. The Free Thajav Movement is considered the de facto ruling political party in the rebel "Free Commonwealth" since 1970. However, others have claimed that the political party is simply the political wing of the Free Kevisbtham Army.
The Free Commonwealth of Thajav controls a large territory in the eastern region, although with a low density in population. The Free Commonwealth was officially established in 1959, although insurgency started in the 1940s. Most of their militants are members of the Gaxhong ethnic group. The Free Commonwealth of Thajav has described itself as "an independent state", although without international recognition. While the Free Thajav Movement claims to be a secular movement, most of the population belongs to an syncretic form of Christianity.
As the military campaign ended, government forces withdrew from Paskheon, the second largest town of the region. The move in itself is not considered meaningful, as government forces often leave the town during Winter, due to the poor communications and the harsh Winter, to avoid exposure to attack from the insurgency until the next Spring.
The rebel group exclusively operates, besides a few isolated attacks against government groups in nearby provinces, in the region of Hayanttangam, a high mountainous region and the poorest region of the country. It is estimated the GDP per capita in the region to be around $1,000, several times smaller than the national average. Most of the population lives in rural settlements. Agriculture is the main, if not only, source of income for most of the local population, which almost exclusively lives of subsistence farming. The military campaign also caused displacement of population in the area, with at least twenty villages to be abandoned as their inhabitants took refuge in areas closer to the Yeogaehanam region.
Asadal government's
recent decision of remove remaining restrictions to agriculture production, including coca leaf and opium poppy, which are largely produced in the Nolanpul Valley, has been also understood a move aimed to reduce the mistrust toward the government as well as aimed to increase the standards of living of the population. Experts believe the move may be also motivated to drop the prices of these goods, which were reported as a source of income of the rebel group in the past.
It is expected that hostilities are likely to cease until the end of Winter. However, while it is unclear if the government plans to launch a similar campaign in the future, it seems clear that peace is still in a long way in this region.