Rebels Cease Assault on Capital City: Ceasefire holds

A Brikvanian soldier watching the frontline where the rebels were ambushed.

Ethnic Malatian rebels have ceased their assault on Briktown, the capital city of Brivania. Thousands of the rebels are reported to have pulled back from frontline positions late yesterday.

It is believed the rebels were forced to pull back after coming under heavy artillery bombardment from government forces. 

Rebel forces encircling the capital city suffered their heaviest casualties  when government forces launched a barrage of artillery bombardment against them . Warplanes from the Royal Brivanian Air Force (RBvAF) also took part in the offensive against the rebels.

Some 800 rebels were reported to be killed and another 300 wounded. A further 500 were captured by Brikvanian troops.

It is believed the rebels had fallen into a trap designed by General Nutyubrick, the new Defence Minister for Brikvania. Under his leadership, government forces were pulled back to defend the capital. Quietly, Nutyubrick had positioned artillery and mortar units at key positions around Briktown. 

The withdrawal of government forces led ethnic Malatian rebels into thinking that government troops were demoralised, and they began massing in large number outside Briktown. About 8,000 rebels were travelling on Main Highway 1 from Brikdahar to Briktown when they were ambushed by artillery bombardment from government forces.

In the north, a group of 4,000 rebels were just outside Westonia, a Briktown suburb, when artillery and mortar fire from government forces caught them off-guard.  Government forces then launched mop-up operations, capturing nearly 600 rebels.

Rebels' commander General Bladic then called for a ceasefire, and then pulled back his forces towards the Malatian Province. The Brikvanian government accepted the ceasefire offer.