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The August Conflict, also known as the Five Day War, was a war between Bonitana and the Almere Socialist Republic (A.S.R) over claims that Bonitana was housing terrorists within the city of Bukharam. Bonitana and their ally ChiselEnt disputed these claims, and on August 1st, the A.S.R invaded Bonitana.
The majority of the fighting took place on the militarized border between Arstotzka and Bonitana. Although A.S.R's advances into Bonitana were initially sucessful, Bonitana's quick mobilization led to the situation on the border becoming a stalemate. Bukharam was the site of intense fighting between the militia of the H.M.E group and A.S.R's counter-insurgency force.
On August 4th, Chisel Enterprises led a contracted invasion of A.S.R and invaded Villagerington, whilst Bonitana special forces paradropped into the Almere stadium. Seeing that both sides could not be trusted with winning, a ceasefire treaty was signed, splitting off Almere from A.S.R at the cost of Bonitana's western portion of Bukharam.
Although Almere and the rest of A.S.R re-joined, the occupation of Bukharam and massacre of 1,000 civilians by A.S.R's chlorine gas attacks only further polarised Bonitanan politics, leading to the creation of BSF and the formation of the UCGB.
Background
Extremist Attacks on Almere, Black⟨Con and Chisel Enterprises
Bukharam, a region directly south of Mirfield and Lorikeet, is a arid desert environment that houses a distinct ethnic group from the rest of the Doggerlands, an extremist sect of the Christians, known as the "Holy Warriors for the Sanctity of Life" (HWSL) . They are also more commonly known as "Mormons" (despite no affiliation with actual Mormons), and their state, the God's Kingdom of Bukharam and Heaven, is often referred to as the "H.M.E", or "Holy Mormon Empire", a mockery of the Holy Roman Empire.
In early July of 3018 Bonitanan forces moved into "God's Kingdom of Bukharam and Heaven" and established a protectorate over the kingdom, granting all inhabitants citizenship. Improved road connections and citizenship gave the "Mormons" access to other H.W.S.L diaspora across the A.S.R and Bonitana cities. An introduction of radical ideals into the city-dwelling populations led to a sprouting of a greater H.W.S.L radical movement.
At noon, June the 6th, 3018, a televised football game between the Byfair Bears and the Almere Hercules FC was interrupted by sounds of gunfire. Seven masked men entered the stadium in the midst of the game, and began shooting in the midst of a celebration, wreaking havoc and creating an atmosphere of confusion and terror amidst the confetti, gunfire, and thousands of panicked guests. 20 Almere citizens were shot down, and as civilians ran to the exit of the stadium, three bombers with dead man's switches blew themselves up at the exits, killing 37. As the injured and frightened civilians attempted to escape the situation, the gunmen released a highly corrosive and toxic gas, killing themselves and 50 civilians. A further 247 were hospitalized, many with severe burns and lung damage. Among the dead included the Bonitana Sports Channel anchor Howard Richards, Mechadyne senior engineer Thomas Pyre, and A.S.R politician Donald Haegethemopf.
With the political community outraged at the horrific attack, C.E. and Bonitanan / Wiltshire DREDD forces sieged the H.W.S.L's compound, nearly burning it to the ground. However, the majority of the inhabitants of the compound fled underground, evading capture. And almost 3 months later, the entire compound was re-constructed.
Justification For War
Although Bonitanan police and DREDD forces actively fought against the H.W.S.L, the A.S.R began claiming that Bonitana was supporting the terrorists and assisting them in transportation to targets. These claims were actively refuted, as evidenced by an increased presence of DREDD in Bukharam, the formation of B.S.F, and by measures taken in the Bonitanan Parliament to stop weapons imports.