ZOGO: The Crisis depends and expands. ( PART 7).

DATELINE:  SITREP ZOGO.

More news from the central African nation of Zogo.
See 'No Duff Gamer' Blog down the right hand side for a lot more photos.
Recent developments:

The small African nation has over recent months descended into chaos, violence and bloodshed. The arrival of French and US troops on Zogon soil has set off a series of chain reactions that were totally unforeseen by the relevant parties. In response to the arrival of these forces into the province of Kelwazi (see part 6) the President for Life, T’Mbolo M’Shombou, dispatched the bulk of his dreaded Presidential Guard and the key components of his Zogon African Rifles (ZAR) to contain the French and US forces. These forces, still in place due to strenuous requests from multinational mining companies to protect their staff and assets showed a vote of no confidence in the President by the international (read – western) community.

The western orchard in the President's compound- and his luxury SUVs.

The President and his Special Operations Force Bodyguards, arriving in his mountain compound.

Sources close to the President claim that the mining companies are more concerned about the President’s increasingly close political and economic ties with China. In fact, two full battalions of People’s Liberation Army (PLA- read Chinese Army!) had arrived in the capital Zogo city in a ramping up of close relationship between the two countries. China’s search for, and desire to secure, raw materials have seen Beijing provide substantial funds for infrastructure in many African countries- Zogo being a key target of Chinese policy.

The concentration of M’Shombou’s Guard and the ZAR in Kelwazi, have, for the first time in many decades, removed the President’s steel-like grip on many parts of the country. With no military presence, many disaffected groups have exploded into violence bringing bloodshed to many areas of the country. Even the two key rebellions, that were thought to be well and truly under control have flared into bloody action: that of the Meeko Momfasa in Patanga and the Baako tribesmen and the Islamic militants to the north under Abu Bakr El Humar in the north east.

In response, M’Shombou decided to move to the relative safety of his summer mountain retreat on the shores of Lake Zogo. This particular compound, once a key position for Belgian mining companies in the 1920s, but abandoned in the 1960s, was turned into a mountain retreat by the M’Shombou regime.  Deeming himself safe in one of the remotest parts of the country, the President for life sat back to await the arrival of more Chinese troops into the capital. However, he made one fatal oversight. Normally, when retiring to his mountain stronghold he was usually accompanied simultaneously with substantial numbers of his Presidential Palace Life Guards. At least a full battalion. This time, however, he made the journey into the Zogon highlands before they arrived to escort him.

On his arrival, US Satellites and unmanned drones confirmed that there was only minimal protection for the President. The US, in a move that was designed to remove the M’Shombou influence from the troubled African nation decided to assemble a rapid action strike force, and using the euphemism for these sorts of mission- ‘neutralise his influence’.

Two small strike boats with two US Navy Seal teams were positioned at the far end of the lake, unseen by hostile forces. Co-ordination with a US Ranger force was essential for the success of the mission. To be dropped in by Chinook helicopter, the Rangers were to seal the main road leading to the compound to stop reinforcements arriving to protect the president. The president was known to be protected by 8 Presidential Guard and 12 of his Mbala kinsmen from his tribe. Unknown to US forces was the presence of a bodyguard of 4 Chinese Special Operations Forces. 
(Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn tèzhǒng bùduì).  Almost as good as the SEALS, they were there to ensure the survival of M’Shombou. 

ACTION REPORT:
The two motorised launches approached the compound, disembarking the Seal Teams very quickly- but SEAL Team One was spotted by a very alert team from M’Shombou’s forces. This team, however, was very quickly neutralised by the heavy firepower of the first launch. The second launches’ .50 cals erupted into life tearing apart the Zogon patrol boat – destroying the African boat.
‘Oh great, ‘ sighed George who was playing the president. ‘My first choice for escape is gone!’
The two Seal Teams quickly came ashore and took up positions amongst the creates and barrels. The, now, alert garrison called in emergency support from Presidential Guard units on route to the compound, but the Ranger blocking force quickly arrived and sealed off the main route to the compound.
As the SEALS moved into the compound, the defenders had one key objective- SAVE THE PRESIDENT. M’Shombou’s guards had a secret that not even US intelligence had determined. He had a bodyguard unit of elite Chinese ‘ex’-Special Operations Forces “volunteers”. As the SEALS hit the compound they knew that they were up against troops that were much, much better quality than the usual riff-raff that seem to accompany African dictators. One SEAL was killed outright as the African defenders ran for their vehicles to attempt to move the President out of harm’s way- and they very nearly succeeded…..

Reinforcements started to make their way to the compound and a technical sped across the bridge firing at the SEALS. But they were stopped dead by a grouped of drug crazed rebels who appeared and started shooting at everything that moved- or didn’t move. They just fired anyway.

Of particular benefit to the SEALS hitting the compound was the firepower from their high-speed launches as these kept the heads down of the defenders, shot up the President’s Launch and supported the ground assault. One was badly shot up, but they were invaluable in taking out a full squad of the President’s kinsmen.

RANGER FORCE TO THE NORTH:
“The Chinook dropped us into the scrub as we took up blocking positions on the main road away from the compound. The moment we hit the ground we heard the rumble of trucks and saw Zogon Troops approaching. Our LAW went into action smashing one truck as the passengers bailed out and our small arms went to work. The second truck screamed to a halt- these boys knew what to do- and they went to ground returning our fire- It cost us a one dead and one wounded ranger. As the medic was patching up our guy, the call went out that an armoured car was approaching- it’s HMG brassing up our boys, wounding another ranger- but the Charlie Squad LAW slammed into it – the crew bailing out- that’s when the radio call came through about what was happening in the compound……”

THE COMPOUND: THE FINAL ACT
The race to the vehicles was lost by the narrowest of margins. The Presidents’ tribesmen got into the two Lexus and the four-wheel drive, but accurate fire from the SEALS disabled the black four-wheel drive and destroyed the second Lexus. The President’s vehicle sped up to flee the compound just as a Zogon technical appeared on the bridge outside the compound and began firing at the covering SEAL team- but their shooting was interrupted by the jeep of civilian rebels who kept shooting at anyone in uniform- Zogon uniforms.

This reprieve gave SEAL Team Two the opportunity to shoot up the president’s SUV. The two remaining Chinese bodyguards were shot up in their front seats. The dreaded ‘First aid’ die roll was also made as bullets slammed into the President.
A ‘one’. Ouch.
Dead.
The President’s SUV slowed to a halt as the few watching Presidential Guard realised the worst and fled.

NATIONAL REPORT:
The Zogo national newspaper, the M’Shombou Times and the MBC ( M’Shombou Broadcasting corporation) have both reported on the death of the nation’s guiding light and President for Life: T’Mbolo M’Shombou. International observers and Zogo experts have noted that the national media has actually provided conflicting reports of the Great Man’s death. What is agreed by all sources is that all confirm his demise but under a variety of different circumstances. The M’Shombou Times report that the President was attacked by the US 82 Airborne Division. He was able to singlehandedly kill over 3500 Elite American troops with a wooden spoon but his arm grew tired and he fainted through sheer exhaustion when the cowardly Americans then shot him through the heart. His Presidential Guard then shot all the rest of the Americans with the loss of one damaged boot and a brokenbelt. Sadly, however, the nation mourns his loss.

The MBC alleges that his death was the result of a Terrorist plot assisted by the CIA. The broadcast stated that he was able to absorb the explosion from a small tactical nuclear warhead attached to an IED in his mountain compound but died of radiation poisoning a short time later.

Other reliable sources such as the BBC’s foreign service claim that he was killed by a surgical strike by US SEAL Teams. The Zogo Foreign Ministry empathically denied that the Great Man could be taken down by only a handful of SEALS. More problematic was the death of the Chinese Special Operations personnel. US government sources have neither confirmed or denied US involvement and the Chinese governed is refusing to comment despite the presence of at least a full armoured regiment of Chinese troops in the capital.


The story of Kwame Amari
My friends and I were eating and drinking together when we decided to take the jeep that my friend Oda owned. We drove into the mountains and as we had been chewing on our favourite Khat, thought it would be good to drive to the place where we had seen the convoy of Lexus’ drive past earlier in the day. Somebody said that it might be the President’s cavalcade, so we decided to see for ourselves. We took our AK-47s just in case we met poachers or Americans or Sudanese or lions and suddenly I was shooting at some giraffes wearing the uniforms of the Zogo army. They may have been wildebeest, I’m not sure, but they shot back- and destroyed Oda’s jeep. We jumped out and I fell on my head and do not remember anything else accept seeing a flying elephant with Americans sitting on the side and lots of guns making big bangs.

REUTERS REPORT: THE SITUATION IN ZOGO.

With the rumoured death of the nation’s strong man, T’Mbolo M’Shombou, the situation is likely to worsen significantly. With US and French Troops in Kelwazi Province and with Chinese troops in the capital, the potential for conflict is substantial. The rebellions, in the deep south and north east are flaring up again with Jihadist groups in the north east gaining support from Sudan. Meeko Momfasa’s rebellion is now regaining it’s strength. The most concerning aspect is that a large armoured force from Zogo’s western neighbour, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been deployed to the border. The CAR regime has, according to government sources, been concerned about the instability on their border and feel that military intervention may be necessary to ensure CAR’s security. NATO sources confirms the presence and full deployment of a well-armed and equipped armoured brigade with Soviet vehicles has been deployed on the CAR/Zogo border.

Inside Zogo, the confusion has left a vacuum that could be filled by a number of potential groups. The first, M’Shombou’s eldest son, M’Boombulu, has the support of many of the majority Mbala tribe although a number support the youngest son, the European educated T’Bousto. The commander of the Presidential Guard, M’Laka Mpl’aka, has the most effective armoured force, the Guard backing his bid for power. The civilian administration, run by the Premier Bluto P’Rikir could possibly gaining the support of the Zogo African Rifles but only time will tell.  The only thing certain is that Zogo’s future appears to be one of violent bloodshed.

The President's Motor Launch. He uses this to go waterskiing on lake Zogo.

The Table: the compound at the top left. The river in the middle. The Ranger Chinook to the left of photo.

The air strip to the west of the compound and the railroad line from the 1920s.

The bridge from the scrubland 

The whole table: The compound on the top right

The President's kinsmen.

SEAL TEAM TWO disembark

SEAL Team Two again

Interior of the compound.

Presidential Guard on the perimeter of the compound.

SEAL Team Two arrive

Using the buildings as cover they move into the compound- these guys were the ones that delivered the fatal shots at the President. 

The President and his teams take cover behind the Black SUV in an attempt to keep away from the SEALs fire.

SEAL TEAM ONE and launch.

The compound- the president and his teams are pinned down in the center of the compound. Team Two are at the bottom of the picture- just emerging from behind the building and moving towards the orange shipping container. To the right Team One are disembarking from their launch and the lead figures are visible just near the tree- behind the barrels. Above them behind the sandbags, pinned down by the twin .50 cals are a squad of the President's kinsmen. 

The Rangers disgorge from the Chinook as the first truck full of Presidential Guard arrive.

The President and his men under fire- attempting to get to the SUVs to get out!

The Bridge leading to the compound. Across the river was nothing but scrub and abandoned buildings. Down this road would come ZAR troops to help- but too little too late. And they would meet resistance from an unlikely sources!

Team One press on to stop the moving SUVs.

The Launches

The launches shoot up the compound- at the very right front of the picture the smoke rising from the President's Launch.

The Ranger covering force - they did their job well and nothing got through!!

CONTACT!

The armoured car destroyed and the crew bail out!

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