8.27.2018
CULT LEADERS APPREHENDED
With the military's Operation Damocles officially wrapping up, it was announced by Secretary for Military Intelligence, Belemo Tyrsi (NCP - Esel), that the infamous cult's leaders known collectively as
the Chosen have been successfully apprehended and are awaiting transport to an undisclosed location. Secretary for the Justice Ministry, Lydia Melporte (NCP - Miras), that while those among
the Chosen will not be regarded as Parthenopian citizens and as such are not entitled to the same legal rights, they will be given a trial in the capital within one week.
This announcement brought a collective sigh of release across the nation as the wounds from the Stadia attack in Nessarion are still fresh in people's minds. Speculation has already begun to make its rounds as people guess where the trial will be held and whether or not it will be a military tribunal or a civilian court. The collective belief is that it will be a civilian led trial held in the capital or in Nessarion to send a strong message to the would be enemies of the state.
No matter where the trial is held, public opinion overwhelmingly supports the death penalty as what many hope the outcome will be. This runs against the recent downward trend in support of the death penalty and comes at a time when centrist wings of the major parties have begun to call for its abolition. Parthenopias has run against the grain on capital punishment since the AU's inception as the other members have all outlawed the practice.
Reports coming in from military sources suggest that the final assault on the cult's compound and main bunker have resulted in nearly one thousand casualties among the Parthenopian armed forces and twice that among the cultists. The rest of the resistance throughout the county has begun to die out as some cultists commit suicide and others are killed or captured. The blockade of the county is set to continue as martial law has been extended into the foreseeable future.
In total casualties stand at nearly three thousand soldiers wounded or killed in combat, twice that among the cultists and nearly one thousand civilians killed in the crossfire or by the cult. Casualties have been high from this conflict and while that might usually draw more criticism from the public, at this time the nation is more relieved than anything to have this situation rapidly coming to an end.