Nabatho Civil War

The Nabatho Civil War is a civil war in the nation of Nabatho between the Mosisilli Government, led by President Khabane Ramaema and Prime Minister Ntse Mosisilli, the Lebohang Government, led by former Vice President Peloko Lebohang, and the Movement for Liberty and Law, led by Lebua Lekhanya. The Nabatho Defense Forces are split between the competing Mosisilli and Lebohang governments, while the MLL receives the bulk of their support from the Narto ethnic minority. The conflict began in Tolven 1571. Active fighting ended in 1579 with a ceasefire, but no peace treaty has been signed, and the civil war is considered a frozen conflict.

Background

In the 1570 Nabatho national elections, the then-president Lebua Lekhanya's party, the United Nabatho Party, lost its majority in the National Assembly to the Batho National Congress. Lekhanya was beaten for reelection by Khabane Ramaema of the Batho National Congress. Lekhanya accused the opposition of tampering with the election results and demanded a recount by "independent overseers." However, Ramaema refused to allow a recount and accused Lekhanya of trying to hold onto power against the wishes of the people. Lekhanya refused to step down.

In response, Ramaema enlisted the aid of Brigadier General Ntse Mosisilli, commander of the 12th Infantry Division, to forcibly removed Lekhanya. The 12th Infantry occupied the capital and Lekhanya went into hiding. Ramaema assumed the office of the presidency and the government continued to function as usual, while Mosisilli was promoted to full general. Lekhanya went on to secretly form the Movement for Liberty and Law (MLL) with the goal of removing the new administration.

Conflict begins

On Tolven 19, 1571, Lekhanya released a video over the internet proclaiming his deposition to be an illegal coup and demanding that Ramaema step down. Soon after the video's release, several bombings occurred throughout the southwest of the country against military targets. The total number of casualties on the first official day of the conflict was 21 dead and 39 injured.

The Nabatho government responded by passing the 1571 Emergency Powers Act with the support of President Ramaema. The Emergency Powers Act gave the president of Nabatho wide-ranging new powers until the insurgency was defeated.

The Siege of Phahaleng

In Ochtyr of 1573, the MLL broke through NDF defenses near the southwestern city of Phahaleng, a popular tourist destination in the Lithaba Mountains. The MLL surrounded the city but was unable to penetrate into the city itself, beginning the Siege of Phahaleng. In response, President Ramaema vowed to take new measures to defeat the insurrection. The size of the Nabatho Defense Forces was significantly increased and martial law was imposed in several areas in the southwest and south of the country. On Ochtyr 27, President Ramaema authorized a massive air campaign on a scale not seen yet in the conflict. Human rights organizations have criticized the Ramaema government for the increased civilian casualties resulting from this air campaign.

Despite the civilian casualties and the damage to the infrastructure surrounding Phahaleng, the campaign was successful in forcing MLL forces to withdraw from Phahaleng by Dein 1573.

Decline of the MLL and the Khaudisa terrorist attacks

The MLL experienced several reverses after the Siege of Phahaleng. The group's second-in-command, Fezeli Hlomela, was killed in an air strike in Alvan 1574 and Lekhanya stopped appearing publicly. By the end of 1574, the MLL had lost roughly half of their controlled territory. By the end of 1575, in the words of President Ramaema, they were "on the verge of total collapse."

In Nueva 1576, the MLL conducted several simultaneous terrorist attacks in Khaudisa, resulting in over 500 dead, including many members of the government. Martial law was declared in Khaudisa and the military moved in to secure the city. Soon after the attacks, President Ramaema announced that a new office, the Prime Minister, was being created and General Mosisilli was being appointed to fill it. The new Prime Minister was given extensive emergency powers. For the next eight months, civil liberties in Nabatho were severely restrained and hundreds were arrested on various charges, including many members of the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the MLL changed tactics. A new leader, going by the name Marelu, appealed to Nabatho's Narto minority. The MLL's recruitment efforts began to focus almost entirely on the Narto, emphasizing the Narto people's political support for Lekhanya's party and promising an independent Narto state. The MLL's ranks began to swell with new Narto recruits.

Resurgence of conflict

In Dosa 1577, Peloko Lebohang, Ramaema's Vice President, publicly announced that he was assuming the duties of President. Lebohang claimed that President Ramaema was being held hostage by Mosisilli and that Mosisilli had enacted a behind-the-scenes coup when he consolidated power in the office of Prime Minister. Ramaema remained publicly in support of Mosisilli's government.

Some parts of the military, particularly in and around Kalebo, defected to Lebohang's government. Pro-Lebohang forces had gained control of most of Kalebo by the beginning of Marth 1577, and the last pockets of pro-Mosisilli resistance were defeated by the end of that month. Many NDF units were redeployed to the Kalebo area from the Lithaba Mountains where they had been stationed to fight the MLL and other paramilitary, terrorist, and criminal organizations.

The MLL launched a new, broad offensive in Fein 1577. On Fein 4, two bombings in central Phahaleng outside of a police station and a restaurant frequented by NDF troops resulted in 23 casualties, including 7 dead. 2 police officers and 1 NDF soldier were killed. The MLL claimed responsibility.

Drug, weapon, and human trafficking

The conflict with the MLL and later the Lebohang government has resulted in a major increase in trafficking of drugs, arms, and people. As reported by several international crime and human rights watchdogs, the MLL receives most of its funding through the sale of illegal drugs and human trafficking. Many drugs are produced in Nabatho, particularly cocaine and marijuana. It has been alleged that both the Mosisilli and Lebohang governments participate in arms and drug trafficking.

In addition to the three primary factions in the civil war, several smaller gangs and criminal organizations have grown or emerged in Nabatho during the course of the conflict.