Battle of Ryloth

The Battle of Ryloth, also known as the Ryloth campaign, was a major conflict that took place on the planet Ryloth early during the Clone Wars. The battle pitted the Galactic Republic and the Twi'lek Resistance against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which conquered the planet and enforced an occupation of Ryloth as an operation undertaken by the Techno Union, a component of the CIS. The battle commenced with an invasion that overwhelmed the local Republic garrison, and, despite humanitarian efforts via the nearby planet Toydaria to reestablish supply lines past the Separatist blockade, the invasion was followed by a Separatist occupation and subjugation of Rylothians.

Following several months of inaction by the Republic's Galactic Senate, a strike force of multiple components was conjured to retake Ryloth and free its people. In the meantime, Foreman and Emir of the Techno Union took the opportunity to plunder Ryloth's treasures and resources. A task force of three Venator-class Star Destroyers – the flagship Resolute, Defender, and Redeemer – from the Open Circle Fleet under the command of Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Admiral Wullf Yularen was dispatched to destroy the blockade and pave the way for the Republic invasion fleet of three Acclamator-class assault ships led by High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi General Mace Windu.

In the beginning phases of the liberation of Ryloth, Skywalker's task force carried the 501st Legion and Blue Squadron while the Open Circle Fleet's Fifth Fleet established an invasion force to carry Kenobi's 7th Sky Corps and Windu's 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps. Despite losing the Defender and Redeemer, the blockade was crushed by the Republic, paving the way for the invasion fleet to land on Ryloth's surface after clearing a gap in Separatist air defenses in the city of Nabat. Subsequently, Kenobi's forces liberated villages throughout the planet, and eventually took control of the Jixuan desert, effectively liberating Ryloth's southern hemisphere. In the meantime, Windu's forces pushed towards the capital of Lessu. The final conquest of Lessu was known as the Battle of Lessu, and the recapturing of the capital would be known as the "Hammer of Ryloth" in songs. With the fall of Lessu and the capture of Emir Tambor, the Separatist forces were defeated on Ryloth. Following the campaign, a battalion under the leadership of Clone Captain Howzer remained through the end of the war to aide Twi'lek Resistance General Cham Syndulla with the security of the planet. Following the end of the war, the clone trooper forces transitioned to serve the Galactic Empire and occupied the planet, leading Syndulla to launch the Ryloth Insurgency to liberate Ryloth once again.

Text and facts from the “Battle of Ryloth” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.