NOTE: This article is about the Takistani nation first introduced in ArmA 2: OA. For the terrain of the same name, see Takistan (terrain). |
Takistan is a country located in the Green Sea region.
History[]
Origins[]
The origins of Takistan dates back to 636 CE when Muslim tribes, having conquered the entirety of what would eventually become modern Takistan and parts of surrounding countries, founded a kingdom and established the first ruling dynasty. It would remain standing until 1219 CE, when the kingdom and its royal family was overthrown by Genghis Khan, the first leader of the Mongol Empire.[4]
Mongol subjugation[]
Takistan would remain a part of the Mongol Empire as it continued to expand westward. The royal family would be exiled to Istanbul for several centuries until the Mongol Empire began to decline in the 16th century. Despite their decline, the royal family did not return to reform the kingdom, leaving what was once a unified land to be split into multiple provinces controlled by neighbouring kingdoms for the next 300 years.[4]
Reformation and the Cold War[]
In the 18th century, descendants of the original dynasty returned from their exile to assume control and officially unify the three provinces into the Kingdom of Takistan.[4]
In 1892, the Kingdom became a formal feudatory of the Russian Empire, serving as a wild, hostile and scarcely inhabited buffer between Russian territory and the British Empire. However, after the Russian government was eventually dissolved following the 1917 October Revolution, the incumbent leader of the Kingdom, King Abu Khazrad Jaffudi, offered safe haven to Russian "White Guards".[4]
After the end of the Second World War and the beginning of the Cold War, the Kingdom chose to align itself to the West. However, the Kingdom's rule would face yet another crisis from within after the Takistani Socialists, an anti-Royalist party led by Muhammad Aziz, would rebel against the government in 1988, culminating in a coup d'état that resulted in the royal family's second exile.[4][5]
Royalist forces, refusing to back down in light of the coup, immediately went to war against the Socialists. Seeing an opportunity to exploit the nation's massive mineral resources, the Socialists were immediately supplied with military hardware by the Soviet Union. This sparked a civil war that lasted until 1992, when the Socialists at long last emerged victorious.[5][4]
Post-civil war[]
Utilising the riches of Takistan's crude oil exports, Aziz' government initiated a massive arms build-up[6], acquiring mass amounts of military hardware[7] and supposedly, ballistic missiles - the latter's tests proving to be highly controversial and provoking the ire of nearby Green Sea Region governments.[8][4]
As criticism against Takistan's ballistic missile testing intensified, weapons inspectors from the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) were authorised to enter the country. The inspectors were to also verify if Aziz' government was indeed acting in violation of international agreements surrounding ballistic missile testing.[9]
Although no confirmation was ever provided, the inspectors insisted that they could not deny that a military build up was occurring either. Allegations that UNMOVIC was attempting to cover up the truth in the hopes of averting a crisis from happening were handwaved by UN officials.[9]
Foreign intervention[]
- Main article: Operation Arrowhead (campaign)
On April 17th, 2012, anti-Aziz, pro-Royalist tribes were covertly assisted by American CIA operatives in helping to destabilise Aziz' government. They succeeded in destroying several refineries key to the production of the nation's crude oil industry.[5][4]
Facing internal instability, Aziz issued a direct threat to the government of Karzeghistan in the south. If the oil-rich Sharig Plateau; once an integral part of Takistan's territory, was not "immediately returned to the people of Takistan", then it would invade and seize it by force. The demands were sharply criticised by the entire UN Security Council and neighbouring countries.[10]
An ultimatum was issued to Aziz but was flatly rejected by his government.[11] A NATO-led build up, codenamed Operation Arrowhead, was subsequently approved by all members of the Security Council.[12] The deadline passed on June 1st, and NATO forces were authorised to invade the country.[5][4]
In the fighting that followed, coalition forces intercepted the ballistic missiles pointed towards Karzeghistan[13], and Aziz himself would be killed on June 2nd[note 1] when U.S. special operations assassinated the rogue leader at his presidential palace.[14][15]
The conclusion of active military operations in the aftermath would see the NATO coalition transition from conventional warfare to counterinsurgency duties[16] and the rebuilding of post-war Takistan.[17][18][19] Remnants of pro-Aziz forces attempted to overthrow the Western-backed civilian administration in Takmyr, though they were dealt a severe blow by coalition forces following a NATO troop surge.[20]
Post-intervention period[]
- Main article: Operation Black Gauntlet (campaign)
Beginning in 2013, UN peacekeepers and the NATO coalition would gradually pull out their forces. Those that remained would be delegated to only guarding the secure Green Zones of the country; their presence supplemented by private military contractors and other Non-Government Organisations.[20][5]
The withdrawal had been unilaterally initiated by Western governments following a drastic increase in casualties amongst coalition troops. This was compounded by the rise in anti-foreigner sentiments amongst the Takistani people, leading to pro-Royalist tribes turning upon their former allies.[21][22] The Takmyr administration's rampant corruption and inability to establish its rule over the country[23][24], additionally contributed to making the deployment politically unfavourable.[25][26]
By mid 2013, only a skeleton force of foreign troops would be present in Takistan, though they too would eventually be withdrawn by the end of the year.[5][27] In the years that followed, the country would effectively remain in a state of near-anarchy for almost a decade, as infighting between the tribes and Takmyr would escalate.[28][29][30]
In 2020, a small contingent of U.S. military forces were dispatched to provide security for NGOs overwhelmed by the humanitarian crisis. However, they were only deployed to protect aid workers, not to restore order.[31][32]
Geography[]
Takistan's terrain is highly diverse, ranging from rolling sand dune environments to the south-west of the country, while a combination of grassy plains and lush forests run through the east and south-east close to the border with Chernarus and the Green Sea coast.[33][34]
On the other hand, barren deserts are located in the western regions of the country (near the border with Ardistan). In the north where the border to the Russian Federation lies, tall mountains and steep valleys with the occasional oasis in-between litter the surrounding landscape.
The capital city is located at Takmyr, which lies on the south-eastern side of the country along the coast with the Green Sea.[6]
Central Takistan[]
- Main article: Takistan (terrain)
Central Takistan is one of the wider and more remote sectors of the country. It is littered with a mixture of rugged mountains and sandy deserts. In spite of this, Central Takistan does not suffer from any water shortages in general, due to the melting snow-capped mountain peaks in the winter helping to feed several streams and rivers running through the area.[35][33]
Unfortunately, not all of the melted snow manages to permeate into the more barren areas of the region. Only the "Green Zones" subsist in the otherwise barren and arid landscape. As a result, many settlements in the region are built up around these inland bodies of water.[33][35]
The regional capital of Zargabad is located within this region.[36]
Politics[]
Pre-civil war, the nation was ruled under a monarchy. Following the royal family's abolition and second exile, it was replaced with a one-party dictatorship, before it too was replaced once again by a civilian-led government.
The Jaffudi dynasty was the latest in the line of descendants from the original royal family to rule the nation. After they were overthrown in 1992, the country's leadership position and government structure were replaced by Col. Muhammad R. Aziz' Socialists.[4]
It is not known as to who rules the nation's post-intervention civilian government (as of 2035).
Armed forces and law enforcement[]
- Main article: Takistan Army
Post-civil war, the Takistani Army served as the nation's land, sea, and air force. Under Aziz' reign, Hamed Dzhbandasnee served as Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defence.[7][37]
The Army maintained bases throughout several parts of the country, with the bulk being located in Central Takistan.[38] The Takistani Army's main duty was the suppression of pro-Royalist tribes throughout the country as well as securing the ruling party's power base.[39]
Following Aziz' death and his government's downfall at the hands of Western forces, the Takistani Army was succeeded by the New Takistani Army (NTA) which mostly continues to fulfil the same duties as its predecessor; save that its primary goal is the stabilisation and rebuilding of post-intervention Takistan.
For law enforcement, Republican miltiamen backed the ruling party's "law" throughout the remote regions of the nation under Aziz' reign.[40] Post-intervention, the militia have been mostly wiped out and have been replaced with small police forces in each region, each led and staffed by local tribes who answer directly to Takmyr.[41]
Diplomacy[]
Post-civil war, Takistan's government held frosty ties to all of its neighbours, from Ardistan to the west and Chernarus to the east.[8][42] It had especially hostile relations with the smaller nation of Karzeghistan in the south, whose government and people were viewed as separatists by the government in Takmyr.[43][44]
After the foreign intervention and downfall of Aziz' regime, the new civilian leadership in Takmyr built better relations with its neighbours and for a period of time, had close security ties with Western governments like the United States and the United Kingdom.
In recent years however, Takistan's internal destabilisation has led to a fallout in its international relations. Many foreign governments perceive the leadership in Takmyr to be corrupt and inept due in large part to the continued state of near anarchy throughout the country, further fuelling the mistrust between the Takistani government and its former allies.[26][45]
As of 2035, Takistan's diplomatic alignment to either the East or the West is not known.
Economy[]
Resource exports make up the majority of Takistan's economy, both before and after the civil war/foreign interventions.
Takistan is particularly abundant in a variety of natural resources, including extensive natural gas and crude oil deposits, coltan (columbite-tantalite; a black metallic ore containing niobium and tantalum), as well as large quantities of sulphur, lead, coal, copper, mercury and semiprecious stones.[46][35]
Takistan's oil-rich countryside[35] provides for the demand from both the regional and international raw material export market.[6] More than half of the nation's GDP output is reliant on the industry though in recent years, it has suffered a significant downturn in the face of increased instabilities throughout the nation.
Unofficially, fertile farmlands in the central and southern regions are also used in the illegal production of narcotic crops ranging from cannabis to poppies. This has helped to fuel the demands from the illicit but highly lucrative drugs trade worldwide.[47]
Society[]
Demographics[]
Native Takistanis are divided into at least two ethnic groups, the Takmyr[4] and Karzegh.[48][49]
The Takmyrs consist of the majority of Takistan's population. Karzeghis on the other hand, are descendents of the nomads from Karzeghistan and form the largest minority group. These two ethnic groups are further subdivided into clans and tribes, with each ruled by warlords/tribal leaders.[39]
Languages[]
There is no officially designated language, though the majority of the Takistani people speak in the native tongue which is a derivative of Farsi.[1]
Fluent English speakers are few and far between, with only government officials in the larger cities, intellectuals, and merchants, being amongst the few capable of speaking English.
Trivia[]
- Takistan's makeup is seemingly inspired by a mixture of two countries: Iraq in the Middle East (at least militarily) and Afghanistan in Central Asia (for its general geography).[50]
Notes[]
- ↑ For unknown reasons, the official Armaverse Timeline erroneously states that Aziz was captured by NATO forces while attempting to flee from the city, directly contradicting all of Operation Arrowhead's endings as well the prologue for Operation Crimson Lance. No further mention of Aziz' survival is brought up in post-Operation Arrowhead/Crimson Lance news reports, nor for the events of Operation Black Gauntlet. Therefore, for the sake of consistency, this article assumes that Aziz canonically remains deceased.
References[]
|
See also[]
Countries in the Armaverse | |
---|---|
Eastern Europe | Livonia • Russian Federation |
North Africa | Argana |
West Africa | North Lombakka • South Lombakka |
Atlantic | Democratic Republic of Sahrani • Independent Republic of Nogova • Kingdom of Sahrani • United Kingdom |
North America | United States of America |
Green Sea | Ardistan • Grozovia • Karzeghistan • Republic of Chernarus • Takistan |
Mediterranean | Atida • Republic of Altis and Stratis |
South Pacific | Horizon Islands Republic |
Microstates | Everon Socialist Republic • Malden |
Countries are listed in order of the region of the globe that they are geographically located in. Italics denote countries that have ceased to exist. NOTE: For a list of minor references to countries that are not shown, please refer to this article. |