24 HOURS NEWS SERVICEQUINTELIAN CASUALTY IN SICR WAR
SICR EMBASSY, NUEVA LUNGSOD - Earlier this year, the Quintelian Military sent ground, naval, and aerial reinforcements to support the SICR’s effort against anti-government forces. The Quintielian Armed Forces deployed a total of 5,700 infantry troops as well as 23 tank crews. The Quintelian Navy deployed the Helicopter Dock QRB Pagong and destroyers QRB Taga-Sira and QRB Siga to the coasts of Wangdu-Essen. The Quintelian Air Force meanwhile deployed 20 fighter squads and 1 bomber squad as well as 40 reconnaissance planes. Non-combatant personnel were also deployed—650 medical personnel, 250 logistics personnel, and 21 technical specialists.
As of Christmas Day, the SICR and Quintelian military confirmed 31 military personnel and 2 non-combatants were killed, with 2 soldiers still missing. The families of those killed-in-action were informed and given proper compensation prior to today’s release.
RAILROADS REGAIN RECOGNITION
2016 Inter-City Electro-Diesel Train(left) and 1985 Regional Diesel Train(right)
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, LUNGSOD - Rail transport was the main mode of transportation for Quintelians travelling between cities provinces with an annual pre-Mutiny ridership of 50 million people. The Mutiny however damaged most of the rural railroads and has since been neglected, lowering the annual ridership to just 10 million people. A small modernization initiative was done in 2016 which saw the purchase of some rolling stock however the industry is still largely neglected. On average, inter-city passenger trains run 30 minutes behind schedule, provincial passenger trains around 2 hours behind, and freight trains a staggering 4 hours and 15 minutes behind. With unmaintained rolling stock, shrinking manpower, and an aging rail network, the future for the Quintelian rail industry was sure to decay and have millions be left almost disconnected from the rest of the country
This was until last year when Quintelia signed an agreement with Ui Cenneslaig, Cantabria, SICR, and New Derusmia to build a “Southern Line” which will link southern Ardian nations through High Speed Rails (HSR). The project currently spans six countries and is speculated by geopolitical experts to include a line connecting to northern Ardian Nations. This agreement saw an increase in both public interest for the revitalization of the rail network and private investments to rail companies. Earlier this year, construction began in major cities such as Lungsod and Maasin where tracks were refurbished to be able to support high speed rolling stock.The Main Line will run from east to west from the borders of SICR near Nueva Lungsod to Lungsod and from north to south from the borders of New Derusmia to the borders of Kodumaa. The Quintelian High Speed Rail Network will connect major cities and industrial centers to the Southern Line.
Official map of the ongoing QHSRN project connecting to the Southern Line
“The Main Line will be the focus of the project, with its construction costing up to $135 billion.” Minister of Transportation, Lucio Tan Ochoa, said in a press conference. “This would include more than 5,000 kilometers of rail being either rebuilt or constructed from scratch, 90 stations would be built of which 17 would be commuter hubs, and 4 southern line hubs where international routes would stop. This project would need 2,430,000 workers including 180 engineers and the logistics would be difficult to handle in the more remote parts, but it won’t be impossible. The biggest hurdle we currently have with the Main Line would be the mountain ranges bordering Quintelia and SICR.”