Ma'an Gas Attack

The Ma'an Gas Attack was a massacre of the residents of the province of Ma'an by the forces of General Tariq Al-Fayeed. The attack decisively ended the ongoing civil war in the Al-Fayeeds favor and led to peace in Abbudin. Using poison gas, Tariq's forces killed about twenty thousand men, women and children. The attack became a symbol of Al-Fayeed oppression and gained infamy all over the world. The attack came on the eve of negotiations between two factions in a civil war, led by Sheikh Rashid and Khaled Al-Fayeed. Sheikh Rashid surivived the attack though his lungs became permanently damaged afterward, leading to severe health problems later on. Though horrible, the attack ended the civil war and brought a new era of peace to Abbudin under Khaled Al-Fayeeds leadership.

The attack was apparently retaliation for the bombing of an Al-Fayeed military barracks by Sheikh Rashid's forces, though Sheikh Rashid denied any responsibility in the bombing. In fact the bombing was organized by General Tariq Al-Fayeed in an attempt to get his brother, President Khaled Al-Fayeed, to agree to the attack. But Khaled still refused to authorize the attack so Tariq did so on his own authority, bypassing and betraying his brother in the process. Though infuriated by his brother's betrayal and horrified by the massacre, Khaled did not punish his brother nor clear his name, instead bearing the blame for the attack and covering up his uninvolvement. He covered it up so well in fact that his own sons, Jamal and Bassam, believed he was directly responsible for the attack.

Season 1
The attack is first mentioned in "Sins of the Father". In a flashback on the anniversary of the attack student's at Bassam's university tape magazine and newspaper articles about the attack all over Bassam's dorm, as well as writing "Tyrant" and "Genocide" all over the walls. On the anniversary of the attack a man burns himself alive in the main square of the capitol, screaming "Never forget Ma'an!" as he dies. The act of self-immolation leads to a mob forming in the square and riots breaking out throughtout the country. As Bassam and Jamal attempt to solve the situation Bassam's mother reveals that Bassam's father, Khaled, was not responsible for the attack and it was in fact Tariq. Bassam is horrified by this realization as the attack was one of the reasons why he despised his father. Bassam also develops a new hatred for Tariq after this.

Season 2
In season 2 Ma'an was attacked again by Tariq with chlorine and sarin gas and as was the case during Khaled's rule Tariq gave the order without Jamal's expressed permission.