SITREP 23MAY21 - AO TITAN

[Maj Whelan]

From: [email protected]

CC: [email protected]
To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Subject: ORDERS

 

Gentlemen, I'm glad to hear you all made it onto the trucks out of Mitrovica, I've got good news and bad news.

 

The good news is we've restored stateside comms. Supply channels through Albania are being established, and the White House is working to get a No-Fly Zone established. The 3d's orders are to aid the Kosovo Security Forces and Montenegrin Armed Forces in the defense of their countries by slowing the Serbian advance by any means necessary in order to buy time for a broader intervention. For now, Battalion has assigned Alpha Company to aid in the defense of the city of Beketov so they can evacuate civilians. 

 

The bad news is that Kosovo is losing and we have limited support. Officially, the 3d MRB has been successfully evacuated to Albania, there are no US lives on the line in this war. From this point forward we will be operating out of uniform in low-visibility clothing and kit. The USAF isn't in a position to provide direct support, as the Germans and Italian won't let us conduct strikes from the airbases in their countries. The USS Harry Truman and her strike group will arrive from Norfolk in 10 days, but the 160th will be our direct air support until then.

 

Since the invasion 3 days ago, KSF reported they've lost at least 40% of all military personnel and the capital fell a few hours ago. Beketov is their last remaining urban center, should the city fall the Kosovan government is likely to capitulate. Despite these setbacks, the KSF remains more than willing to fight following news of Serbian ethnic cleansing in the captured territories. Bravo Company has established a training center in Albania for Kosovans to wage a guerilla campaign. 

 

To the KSF's credit, they've bled the Serbs badly. The 3rd Brigade, in particular, took heavy losses to us and the KSF. However, they have largely reconstituted with reservists and elements from the 4th Brigade. Elements of the 72nd Spec Ops and 63rd Parachute Brigade are also still believed to be operating in our AO. Serbian air operations have also been handicapped due to diplomatic incidents involving CAPs straying into Albanian airspace and friendly fire incidents. We can still expect them to be employing ground strike fixed-wing assets and rotary assets in CAS and transport roles.

 

In the backline, a paramilitary group calling itself Serbian Pride has been engaged in what we believe to be a coordinated and deliberate effort to ethnically cleanse predominately Albanian regions in Kosovo. Both Hades and Legion have come across them and their atrocities. All evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity are to be documented and presented to higher. If possible, try to take one of them alive. We know they are lightly equipped and go masked with balaclavas, carry cigar cutters they use as torture implements, and have approval and support of their actions by the Serbian government.

 

I've been working with the locals to establish Camp Caveman north of the city. When you arrive get some chow and some sleep, our operation tempo won't be lightening up any time soon, more detailed orders will follow in the coming hours.

 

S. D. Whelan
Major, U.S. Marine Corps
Alpha Company Commander, 3d MRB
Marine Forces Special Operation Command