Emmirian destroyer severely damaged in Beresa attack

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by Assan Knalla

BERESA - The ENVS Baasim, an Emmirian Thaamir-class destroyer stationed at the Beresa naval base in Saint Croix and Bens has been heavily damaged with the loss of at least 23 sailors on board as a massive explosion ripped through the facility. President Akram Sulaiman called the act a "purposeful and egregious act of war against the Republic of Emmiria and the WEDA alliance," and Prime Minister Mushtaaq al-Karimi has ordered an emergency session of the Consultative Assembly in the wake of the attack. Emmirian politicians and military officials are calling for an immediate response, though WEDA has not confirmed the identities or sponsors of the perpetrators. Some figures are pointing the blame at the terrorist group al-Fijar, while others have indicated the sophistication behind the blast may be the result of Terehanian government action.

"This attack is enough to declare war," President Sulaiman said in an address, confirming the toll of Emmirian losses following the blast. "Once our intelligence has determined the perpetrators, there will be immediate and severe repercussions."

The Beresa port houses dozens of warships from WEDA member nations. In 2021, prior to SCB joining the WEDA alliance, Zamastanian, Quetanan, and Emmirian vessels docked at the facility to monitor tensions in the region, largely from Alecburgh's civil crisis. Since then, it has grown to a sizable military base from which WEDA projects the majority of its joint southern Adulan naval operations.

According to SCB, Albarinean, and Emmirian officials familiar with the incident, the explosion came from a barge which was positioned in between two naval ships, which have been completely destroyed and not-yet identified. The barge is believed to have been laced with ammonium nitrate explosives, which created a massive blast powerful enough to level vessels and many structures throughout the base. The death toll is expected to be in the hundreds.