BREAKING: Amarr Dreadnoughts Destroyed in Pitched Amarr-Minmatar Battle over Floseswin IV

Floseswin, Metropolis – Orbital bombardment dreadnoughts affiliated to the Amarr Empire have been destroyed in yet another highly-destructive battle over the fate of a planet.

Dreadnoughts bearing the identifiers of the Shining Flame mercenary company carried out a siege laser strike on the surface of Floseswin IV, apparently inflicting significant damage in the vicinity of the wartorn city of Jolan Kraal. Reports have indicated that surface forces presumed to be remnants of Amarr troops on the planet also carried out their own attack, even guiding weapons fire onto Jolan Kraal using surface-to-orbit targeting lasers. The assault was curtailed abruptly by the appearance of several capsuleer pirate supercarriers that proceeded to engage and destroy the dreadnoughts before retreating from a Shining Flame battleship fleet and Amarr loyalist counter-attack.

Minmatar Republic Fleet and Brutor Vanguard forces have been fighting to relieve the planet and the Republic Command's Floseswin IV Liberation Army has activated all reserve defense units. Planetary defense batteries at a number of locations on the surface have been firing on any vessel attempting to breach atmosphere. Republic Command aerospace fighter wings have been fully-scrambled and have engaged a number of targets in low orbit and the upper atmosphere.

Reports of attempted landings are unconfirmed. Reports of launches from locations deep in the southern ocean are also unconfirmed. Long-range scans of Floseswin IV suggest high-yield detonations on the southern continent. The long range of these scans and severe interference from atmospheric disturbances have made it difficult for independent confirmation of any details. Closer approaches are extremely dangerous and several Scope News Conflict Reporting Drones have been destroyed by Republic fighter craft and anti-aircraft fire.

CONCORD has issued an urgent appeal for calm and for the first time mobilized the DED reserves to "peacekeeping intervention status", known to be a euphemism for preparations to launch counter-invasion operations in the event one or more sides launches attacks beyond the militia warzones. Ambassador Keitan Yun and Captain Marshal Sirdan xer Qosh have reportedly been recalled by their governments. The CONCORD Inner Circle has emphasized that "diplomacy continues through every possible channel".

The Gallente President and the Caldari Chief Executive Panel have issued their own calls for restraint, pointing to the fact that the incident took place "within the bounds of a designated militia warzone within the terms of the CONCORD Emergency Militia War Powers Act." While this is arguably a strained reading of the CEMWPA laws alongside the terms of the Yulai Accords and Convention, the possibility that such an argument may prevent a descent into total war cannot be dismissed.