NEWSFLASH - Banga Boum denounces DuDu (Reuters)

From our diplomatic correspondent in Mpongoville

In a shock announcement today, following inter-governmental emergency talks in the Mbote capital, the President of Mbote, Colonel Banga Boum, denounced the government of Zubuto and accused President Elect DuDu of serious 'strategic miscalculations and military incompetence'. 

The thrust of President Banga Boum's address was a withering condemnation of the Zubuto Army of the People (ZAP), which he claimed was both unprofessional and cowardly in its recent cross border military operations with the Mbote Defence Force (MDF). Whilst praising the 'exemplary performance' of MDF troops, Banga Boum placed blame for the failure of the operation on the ZAP.

In a broadside against the ZAP high command, Banga Boum went on to condemn the 'adventurism and recklessness' which led to a recent crushing defeat for a combined MDF and ZAP column, which had attempted to locate and return a downed short range WaPongo missile. The missile has now been seized by units of the Army of Bana Soto (ABS).

The missile itself had been test fired by ZAP forces during joint military exercises. but had suffered a serious guidance malfunction, resulting in it's crash landing in the border zone. The 'inadequacies' of the WaPongo missile, designed and manufactured by DuDu Defence Industries PLC, were also the subject of President Banga Boum's indignant delivery to the assembled press.

In his closing speech, President Banga Boum announced the immediate dissolution of the Mbote-Zabuto military alliance, which has only recently been established following prolonged inter-governmental negotiations in Bgombo. In a presidential decree, he has ordered all Zubuto diplomatic personnel including the ambassador and his consular staff, to leave the country in the next twenty four hours.

As yet, there has been no response from the government of Zubuto or President Elect DuDu, although his motorcade has now left the Presidential palace in Mpongoville and was last seen heading for the Mbote-Zubuto border on Route 2. This breakdown in relations between the two neighbouring states could have serious consequences for the stabilty of the region.