Chapter 5

The battle of Restum

As Asylkhan has promised, the US soldiers arrived at Belgarath within one week time. The US troops were lead by Colonel Herman Wilde. He was a man in his forties, with a bald head and a six feet tall, muscular figure. He, along with his first and second in command, alpha and beta, greeted Major Ibrahim at the camp in Marwa.

‘ Colonel Herman Wilde and I am in charge of the US troops'. He said extending his hands.

‘ Major Ibrahim. ‘ Ibrahim introduced himself and both of them shook hands.

Without wasting any time, Major Ibrahim briefed the situation to Col. Wilde and he sat there listening carefully to every details. After the briefing, when it was time to depart, Major Ibrahim said.

‘ It’s said that the Defence minister himself suggested your name when we asked the US for back up. Guess, he knows you well, Colonel'. Ibrahim said with a smile.

‘ Yes, when he was visiting my country, we had a brief meeting there. Never knew he would remember and suggest me for this. It’s an honour'. Col. Wilde said chuckling proudly.

‘ Well, see you again tomorrow then. Take rest, Colonel and let me know if you need anything'. Ibrahim said.

‘ Today, we rest and tomorrow, we make plans. Can you be here at the earliest?’. Col. Wilde asked.

‘ Sure Colonel'. Ibrahim agreed nodding his head.

‘ And bring the air force commander too. We might need his help'. Col. Wilde added and agreeing to it, Major Ibrahim left the camp.

The next morning, both the captains of the army as well as the air force was present in the camp, at the break of dawn. Colonel Herman Wilde, Major Ibrahim and Commander Jaffis gathered around a table with an incandescent bulb lit above it and discussed the attack strategies.

‘ The refugee crisis in the North was forcing the government to send more soldiers to the north, so we withdraw some of the men from our Northwest border and send them to the North for a while. It was a classified move, or otherwise our enemies including the Sharia would have found out that the border Force had weakened and would have attacked us. ‘ Major Ibrahim said.

‘

’s exactly what happened, right?. ‘ Col. Wilde asked confused.

‘ Somebody leaked the information to the Sharia's, somebody from the inside. We are investigating it right now. ‘ Commander Jaffis added.

‘Oh, too bad. ‘ Col. Wilde said.

‘ They knew we were vulnerable and our border security was weak and they infiltrated into the Marwa and caused the explosion, killing hundreds of the civilians. So what we need to prevent such a move from them is to strengthen our border security, so even if they attacks, they won’t be able to get inside our country. And the second thing, we need to take the battle away from the civilians, as far as possible'. Major Ibrahim said.

‘ But we can’t lead the battle into their territory either. It would be like suicide'. Col. Wilde added.

‘ We already have two fifty men at the Northwest border patrolling in shifts including a helicopter assisting them under the command of commander Jaffis'. Major Ibrahim said.

‘ I will give you thirty men from my one fifty to the border security force and the rest will be on stand by'. Col. Wilde suggested.

‘ Also, cancel their shifts. Let them guard the borders for 24/7. We need to be more alert. This is not a time to show compassion to your fellow men, Major. We need them, there, without even blinking'. Col. Wilde said and before that stubborn man, both the captains had to agree.

One week after the arrival of the US troops, the army got the intellect about the Sharia’s planning to attack Belgarath again and the whole village was on alert. A special unit of hundred US soldiers and hundred native soldiers was formed and it was called ‘Unit RESTUM'. Major Ibrahim was called to the North as the refugee crisis was getting out of the government’s hands and colonel Wilde was assignment as the commanding officer of the special unit. Unit Restum included the best of both the US soldiers as well as the native soldiers and under the command of Jaffis, two long range fighter planes too. But the Sharia’s attacked back from the bunkers that were built underground, so long range firing from the planes were less effective. The battle lasted for four days and both the sides suffered huge losses. The Sharia’s had to retreat due to insufficient supply of ammunition after four days and thus, the battle ended. The place where it took place came to be known as the ‘ Battleground of Restum' named after the special unit.

The battle was won and the country’s flag was erected at the West End of the battleground and it became the last marked territory under the government’s jurisdiction.

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The villagers were quite unsatisfied with what was happening in there land, but they were completely helpless over the situation. They felt that their land was polluted by the terrorists, outsiders and now even by the foreigners. The Belgarathians had to stay inside their houses out of fear and adding to that was the curfew beginning at six in the evening. The government delayed the setting up of a temporary market place as the villagers were being supplied by the essential goods nor has taken any effort in rebuilding their mosque. So, the villagers who were already having a negative attitude towards the government, became more and more agitated.

To worsen the situation even more, there were some push and pull between the villagers and the patrolling soldiers, here and there. Unaware of the fuming rage of the Belgarathians, the national government signed the ‘ joint patrol treaty' with the US government for the next ten years and this news shook every man in Belgarath. They knew that, for the next ten years, they have to live like this, as the prisoners of the outsiders, obeying their orders, sacrificing their freedom , just like slaves.

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‘Owais, you are the village chief. We cannot live like this. The soldiers scare us. This is our land yet we cannot walk freely through the roads. Sometimes they yell at us, sometimes they make fun of us or disrespect us in their foreign tongues. They treat us like dogs. If this continues, we will finally become their slaves. Tell us, what should we do?’. Sartai asked as every men in the village were gathered secretly at one of their houses to seek advice from their village chief.

‘ I understand your feelings, my fellow Belgarathians, we are totally helpless. We don’t have the man power or the ability to fight them'. Owais reminded the villagers.

‘ Is there any way to let them know how we feel about this?. ‘Kamran asked.

‘ What about writing a petition to their captain? ‘. One of the villager suggested and everyone agreed with the idea.

‘ You are our chief, maybe you could deliver it to their captain, can’t you Owais? ‘. An elder man asked Owais.

‘Well, that can be done. I think! ‘. Owais said half heartedly. He really hated the idea of involving himself with the foreigners.

Thus a petition, regarding the soldiers disrespectful approach towards the villagers were written and signed by all the men present there that day. They handed it over to Owais trusting him to deliver it to Colonel Herman Wilde on behalf of them. Owais, on his way back home was frustrated and was fuming with rage.

‘ Old, foolish men! They should be thanking the soldiers for saving their lives instead of complaining about their behaviour. I can’t believe that I am their chief. ‘ Owais buried his head in his hand.

‘ Master, are you really going to hand over the petition to their captain? ‘ Abir, Owais's right hand asked.

‘You think I am a fool? There is no use of having Soft corner for the soldiers as well as the terrorist. They don’t benefit me anyway. When there was the Marwa, the villagers had to pay a portion of their product to me as tax and now that the Marwa is gone, so is our revenue, Abir. Money was the only thing that differentiated me from those old pricks. Now I am just the same as them. I cannot collect taxes because they are not selling anything. Without money, I am nothing. They have lost their respect towards me and the soldiers, they treat me just the same as they treat these old fools. I have become very insignificant in this village and it’s hurting my pride, Abir'. Owais said devastated.

‘ I agree master. How dare they even summon you to their mere huts instead of coming to you'. Abir said agreeing with Owais.

‘ We have to do something about it, don’t you think? ‘. Owais asked and Abir nodded his head.

Owais closed his eyes , leaning back on his chair and Abir stood there watching his master who was lost in deep thoughts.