21-03-2026, 10:19 PM
![[Image: PGI1tzG.png]](https://i.imgur.com/PGI1tzG.png)
Sharba - In what has been described as "black thursday" the new royal junta, led by King Adane, has launched a major crackdown on the ongoing republican protests, killing at least 900 and wounding thousands more. The effort is still ongoing and will likely continue "for the next few days" a spokesperson from the Maroon palace told the Coburan Daily. Internet access has been severely restricted and all public institutions have been closed for a full week.
The sparce information gathered on the ground suggests that, due to a lack of support within the security apparatus, the Royal Junta has leaned on the support of what protestors have started calling the "Custodes". These rogue bands of royalist sympathizers have been armed with makeshift weaponry, roaming around through primarily the major cities seeking to break up protestors along the way. Supported by royalist elements of the Armed Forces and Sharba Police Force these groups have killed dozens and have been accussed of severe human rights violations.
Additionally, junta censors have thus worked around the clock to limit internet access and prevent media from publishing freely on the ongoing crackdown. At least a dozen journalists have been jailed and more have fled the country. The democratic government, despite legally still in power, has all but stopped to exist. Prime Minister Kidane has been incarcerated at the Sharba Central Prison since last week, with no info on his condition publicly available.
While not the entire security and intelligence apparatus is supportive of the royal coup, the events of the last few days have forced most to fall in line. Reports of disloyal generals being lynched and defected soldiers losing contact with their family are widespread. Many believe the royalist Custodes to be responsible for most of the King's "dirty work", although the size of their organization and their reach remains unclear.
While protestors seem to be ressisting the efforts to break up the movement, the intense violence associated with the crackdown will likely result in more casualties. Thousands have also fled across the border, primarily towards Jakania, fleeing the ongoing violence.
Coburan Daily is a state-owned public broadcaster operating in exile from Zardugal following the royalist coup
The sparce information gathered on the ground suggests that, due to a lack of support within the security apparatus, the Royal Junta has leaned on the support of what protestors have started calling the "Custodes". These rogue bands of royalist sympathizers have been armed with makeshift weaponry, roaming around through primarily the major cities seeking to break up protestors along the way. Supported by royalist elements of the Armed Forces and Sharba Police Force these groups have killed dozens and have been accussed of severe human rights violations.
Additionally, junta censors have thus worked around the clock to limit internet access and prevent media from publishing freely on the ongoing crackdown. At least a dozen journalists have been jailed and more have fled the country. The democratic government, despite legally still in power, has all but stopped to exist. Prime Minister Kidane has been incarcerated at the Sharba Central Prison since last week, with no info on his condition publicly available.
While not the entire security and intelligence apparatus is supportive of the royal coup, the events of the last few days have forced most to fall in line. Reports of disloyal generals being lynched and defected soldiers losing contact with their family are widespread. Many believe the royalist Custodes to be responsible for most of the King's "dirty work", although the size of their organization and their reach remains unclear.
While protestors seem to be ressisting the efforts to break up the movement, the intense violence associated with the crackdown will likely result in more casualties. Thousands have also fled across the border, primarily towards Jakania, fleeing the ongoing violence.
Coburan Daily is a state-owned public broadcaster operating in exile from Zardugal following the royalist coup