Post by Josephus I on Feb 23, 2013 22:37:13 GMT
Minesca þæs Helm
Intelligence report to the honourable members of the Witan and the Joint committee of the Unified Armed Forces under the Aerist Militia;
Honourable Gentlemen, it is with great delight that I have the following report given to us by several brave members of the SOE. Following their charter of the small fishing boat 'Friendly' they were able to evade the numerous criminal elements that inhabit the Kepulauan Islands and gather strategically important intelligence. Please note the time line below of Operation 'Down Under';
15.02.13: A 'tourist' map of the Kapulauan islands is found in the remains of a partial burnt out tourism office in Port Impregnable. The provisional council is made aware of their current status as an unclaimed territory and contracts a small fishing vessel for the use of two SOE operatives and three Commandos (for protection duties).
16.02.13: On arrival at the smaller of the islands (here after referred to as Canaveral Island) the SOE personnel took the small inflatable boat from the fishing vessel and shortly made landfall at the settlement shown on the map as 'Keeper's Point'. Upon arrival to what is thought to have been a minor village the team could find to traces of the former inhabitants. From the amount of items that we left in situ or abandoned at seemingly random occurrences. It is though that the inhabitants quickly evacuated the settlement in favour of the larger town of Canaveral or to another location.
The team then headed north of their position keeping off the small roads and making use of the tropical jungle. Throughout their journey to Canaveral they spotted several pick-up trucks that were mainly fitted with some kind of heavy machine gun (Possibly 7.63 or 0.50 Cal). The technicals are thought to have been undertaking patrols across the island and the drivers although often with their faces covered over with balaclavas and the like seem to be of White Keltian descent.
Upon arrival at Canaveral the operatives found that much of the former tourist town had badly decayed with much of the former infrastructure either damaged from fires/munitions or simply collapsed due to lack of maintenance. The former police station has been retrofitted by the current inhabitants to act as a redoubt and a place to store 'slaves'. When the operatives entered the town they were able to confirm that the group that was there were most likely Ocian Mafia whos operations included human trafficking and that the town was being used as a staging point from which people would be taken from Keltia and then transferred from the island onwards to Babkha or other locations.
The operatives then journeyed further up the coast to 'Foul Bay' where again no inhabitants were found and the village had fallen into ruin. However one note was that a large mound located near the entrance to the village was suspected to have been a mass grave on accounting for the numerous spent casings found littered across the ground close by.
17.02.13: Following their extraction the operatives evaded pirate vessels operating from Port Pulau, the team made landfall near 'Smuggler's Haven'. Although the small former fishing hamlet was uninhabited it seems that it's small harbour facilities have been used by persons at this stage unknown. On account of the miscellaneous items including fuel tanks, discarded packaging and recently used crane.
They then followed the road east towards the settlement of 'Rooty Hill', no signs of life were found although just south of the settlement a large straight dirt track of approximately 400m was found. It is suspected that this is being used as a landing strip for STOL aircraft.
The operatives then traversed through the interior of the island in order to reach the settlement of 'Dickson Point'. They were unable to get close to the settlement due to the heavy concentration of armed hostiles. Much of the land around the settlement had been converted to use as Copra fields and it seems that a large number of the native population is now being used as labour on the fields. The hostiles (Here by referred as 'Narcos') were noted as being well armed and in possession of at least two APC (albeit aged) of unknown origin in addition to heavy weapons.
Following this encounter and attempting to evade the patrols that were regularly setting out from the settlement the operatives left and headed south bound for the only major settlement on the Kepulauan islands, Port Palua. On arrival to the port they set up an observation post on a hill overlooking the settlement. From there they noted that although portions of the town were in decay most of it was being used by what can be identified as 'pirates'. The pirates were poorly armed in comparison to the Nacros and it is thought that they have been at conflict on account of the numerous checkpoints that surrounded the Port. Further observation of the port concluded that they were at least four ships that had been converted for use as mother-ships by the Pirates and numerous small craft which one can assume operate from the larger ships. Noted is also a medium sized container ship which was under heavy guard. At this stage we can only assume that it was a recently hijacked vessel that is currently being ransomed. Its crew's whereabouts could not be ascertained, whilst the name and nationality of the ship could not be confirmed.
20.02.13; The vessel 'Friendly' docked safely at Port Impregnable following which the SOE operatives gave a briefing to their superiors. Where upon this information was complied into a report ready for this meeting of the Provisional Council and the Joint Chiefs.
Appendix A;
Annotated Tourist Map.
Appendix B;
Numerous Photographs Taken.
