Earlier today a fleet assembled by the Aritans desperatly battled a powerful ABBO war fleet that had entered it's space. Although greatly outnumbered the Aritans did put up a good showing and managed to destroy 31 ABBO ships though lost 7 of their own, a big chunk of their fleet, plus a number of damaged ships. Two Intrepids, 1 Solaris, 3 Kalahati Tuuls and a Pentekonter-E have been reported as lost along with 21 Ferret-E drones.
New Arit was bombarded for an hour after the Aritan fleet had been defeated and several orbital installations destroyed. The ABBOs concentrated on military facilities on the surface which kept civilian casualties down but it is estimated over 100,000 Aritans were killed on the surface. The ABBO fleet has now withdrawn. A DDS fleet will reach New Arit within a few hours, a relief convoy is also en route.
The Aritan fleet has been wrecked although they do have undamaged ships which were elsewhere and now have been recalled to home base. One Aritan commentator has said that the Aritans have found out the reality of life as a DDS ally. "Its not all free or subsidised ships, sometimes there is a blood sacrifice too."
