Maronite Mutiny

The Maronite Mutiny was a civil war in the Levant Arab Republic's Lebanon state. The war was fought by the government of the Levant Arab Republic and rebels made of the pre-dominantly Christian Maronite ethnic group.

Background
The Arab Spring brought change to the Middle East, collapsing regimes and replacing them with varied results. War in Syria reached Lebanon and unable to cope with the fighting, the Lebanese government collapse. When Syrian General Derwish became the new leader of Syria, he expanded his goals to return stability to Lebanon. He was successful in the war as he absorbed Hezbollah and the remnant of the Lebanese military into his own forces.

Seeds of Discontent
Maronites, feeling that they were not represented in the Pan-Levantine Federation staged protests throughout parts of Lebanon that they dominate. In contrast to the Sunni Muslim majority of the nation, the Maronite were Catholic and believed that the government panders more to the Sunni Arabs (ironically President Zev Derwish is Orthodox Christian, another religious minority).

Although the protests were ignored first, protestors adapted new tactics such as blockades to force the attention of the Levantine government. Eventually the government agreed to speak to the leaders of the protest, agreeing to hold talks in Tblisi, Georgia.

Failed negotiations
As agreed the two parties met in Tblisi on 14th May 2015, using the Old Georgian parliament building. The Levantine government was represented by President Zev Derwish, Minister of Interior Yaqub Osman and Governor of Lebanon Antanios Muallem. The rebel leaders Samir Gemayel and Joseph Franjieh attended. The meeting was moderated by New Empire of Japan Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Yoshida.

The Rebel leaders insisted on independence, complaining the supposed inequality the Maronite ethnic group suffer under Federal control. The Levantine government dismissed the claim, instead showing records on the decrease of ethnic violence and religious extremism. The Maronites also brought the case of income equality, accusing the government of favouring Arabs and creating poverty within their own ethnic group. The government once again called the claims baseless, arguing that the public sector hires merely on merit than ethnicity or religion.

President Derwish called for the end to this paintless rebellion and called for the end of the civil protests, citing how it is counter-productive for them as well. The rebels refused to yield and continued the push for independence. The President, seeing no end brought an ulltimatum to the leadership to end all armed resistance by 14th June, 2015 or there will be military response.

Resolution 9
The New Empire of Japan has brought the issue of the Maronite rebellion to the CDC in Belgrade. It pitched a resolution for a CDC-mandated coalition if the war threatens regional stability. With the vote of 3:0 (2 absentions) Resolution 9 was made a guideline as a safety-net to protect the region and civilians. Operation Alps was authorised as well.

Egyptian Affair
The Maronite leadership were contacted by Egypt after the failed negotiations in Tblisi. The country has agreed to provide support the the rebels despite difference between the Christian rebel movement and Islamist Egyptian government.

Shipment of Egyptian weapons to Beirut were covertly sent with some military personnel to train and advise militias. One such shipment were intercepted by the AZUI and the Levantine Coast Guard, giving proof to the CDC of Egyptian involvement in the war.

Operation Aeneas
The New Empire of Japan embassy in Damascus spoke on the issue of foreign expatriate evacuations to avoid the casualties that can bring international condemnation. Free flights to expatriates were offered, given the choice of Damascus, Jerusalem or Cyprus. Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport saw the entry of both civilian and military aircraft for the extraction.

Tarakian concerns
Tarakia has called the New Empire of Japan to meet at the Jerusalem joint command to explain the new tension of war. The parties met but without their protectorates due to fears of unintentionally raising tensions. Diplomats of both sides have agreed for communication between their forces and the deployment of DR forces near the border.

Operation Alps
When the ultimatum was issued, the New Empire of Japan deployed divisions to be part of a bufferzone that covers the Lebanese border from Israel to Syria. The bufferzone was later joined by contributed by Coalition forces, Tarakia in particular placing defences from the Israeli border also.

Operation Cato
To minimise casualties, coalition commanders agreed on a campaign of tactical stealth attacks to assassinate enemy leadership and airstrikes at vulnerable positions. The New Empire of Japan sent their Navy to make the strikes in rebel territories. The campaign proved to be a success that it left Levantine casualties in the minimal range.

Operation Scipio Africanus
The Levant Arab Army first faced highly motivated militias as main enemies, headed by religious leaders along with conventional officers. When the offensive brought them closer to the Lebanese heartland the militias notably became weaker as Operation Cato's effects showed. When the commandwe were expecting a war that can last for months, the weakening allowed the war to end earlier and reduce casualties.

The war was headed by General Zaeed Tlass, leader of the Syrian contingent and known for his humanism. He was selected for his rationality in dealing with the enemy as he has made sure they are protected by international law. He forbade looting and sacking of cities, civilians unharmed and Christian churches protected and punishing offenders. When towns were captured civilians are searched and are brought to a camp site where the military provided them with essential supplies and shelter for the displaced. This strategy proved popular as attrition was weakened.

Liberation of Beirut
The patient campaign of bombing, raids and assassinations have proven to have worked when General Tlass marched his forces into Beirut. Upon entry most of the rebel forces surrendered without the fight as religious leaders of the opposition were promised that Christians will not be harmed if none attack first. When the city centre was secured the rest of the forces searched the rest of the city for holdouts. When all holdout were declared routed some of Tlass' men placed raised the flags of Lebanon and the Levant Arab Republic at the two flagpoles in front of the State government building, signalling the end of short-lived uprising.

Aftermath
The war ended with casualties being remarkably smaller than predicted. The efforts of interception, sabotage and assassination have proven it's worth as poorly equipped and leaderless militias have surrendered rather than fight suicidal battles. Public relations campaign to the international community and civilians in the warzone was met with achiement as the marching divisions were hailed as liberators.

The war sent a great number of mesages around the world but the obvious was how the Levant Arab Republic that rose from the ashes of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine does not tolerate secessionists. It has also warned Egypt against attempting to fuel ethnic tensions.

Politically President Derwish has announced the renaming and shift of policy in the Levant Ba'ath Party to the Levant Unity Party. He explained that the politically party needed reform as the Maronite uprising proved that current policies failed. He promised reforms to create a truely inclusive Levant Arab Republic inclusive to all ethnic groups and faiths.

After the speech was given a victory parade started in the streets of Damascus, attended by Party officials, officers and foreign diplomats. Honours were awarded to the bravest of men with General Tlass announcing the names of the recipients and President Derwish awarding the honours in person.

Economy
The Levantine economy saw a brief fall as falling stocks and value of the Levantine Dinar were reported at the Ramallah and Aleppo Stock Exchanges due to the fright of investors. With Lebanon, the "bread basket" of the Federation under rebel control food prices soured across the country. The Levantine Ministry of Trade has temporarily lowered tariffs of food entering the country to keep food affordable and even loosened export laws enough for Israeli products to appear in store shelves.

Due to Beirut being under rebel control construction of the Silk Rail for Lebanon halted, creating a delay.

Society
The war created a division between the Christians and Muslims in Lebanon as they were forced to take sides. The Christians saw that they should support independence but were afraid of retribution from their neighbours. Muslims sympathised with the elements of the Levant Arab Army as former Hezbollah members were integrated into the Lebanese contingent.

Levant Arab Republic
The Levant Arab Republic cannot tolerate any sort of secession within its border as it fought less than a year ago to unite the region. Veterans of the Conquest of the Levant returned to reprise their roles and they had experience in fighting unconventional forces.

New Empire of Japan
As the protector and guaranteer of Levantine stability, the New Empire of Japan sent it's military forces to assist in the war. Adopting new doctrines since Operation Grizzled Protector, casualty rates have dramatically dropped.

The New Empire of Japan amassed an international coalition to build a defensive line in Operation Alps and later join the offensive.

Cuba
Cuba was the first country to declare assistance to the Levant Arab Republic. When the war started, special forces have been flown to the war and took part in the Northern offensive.

Kazakhstan
The Kazakh special forces: Arystan took part in covert missions. Another force was sent to form the defensive line in Operation Alps.

Armenia
Armenia sent a small military force to form the defensive line in Operation Alps.

Mongolia
Mongolia sent a small military force to form the defensive line in Operation Alps.

Mount Lebanon Republic
Mount Lebanon Republic was the collective name of rebels that fought for the secession of Lebanon from the Levant Arab Republic. Many of those militias were Maronites of the Roman Catholic faith. The de facto leader of the rebellion was Samir Gemayel and his right-hand Joseph Franjieh. By the end of the war both were confirmed dead from assassination.

The rebels fought with equipment stolen from storage, once used by the Lebanese Armed Forces and few from the Levant Arab Army. They received some supplies from Egypt and Hamas during the war.

Hamas
Hamas, displaced from Gaza sought to destroy the Levant Arab Republic for their perceived betrayal to the Palestinian people. They found new alignment with Egypt's ruling party, the Islamic Brotherhood. Having a common enemy, Hamas supplied the Lebanese rebels with equipment, training and advisors.

It was their involvement that sealed the nail in the coffin. The Democratic Republic of Tarakia joined the war, taking part in the thorought destruction of Hamas. By the end of the war, Hamas was disbanded.

Egypt
Egypt's government was controlled by the hostile Islamic Brotherhood party. The leadership secretly assisted the Maronites by sending weapons and military advisors to train and advise rebels.