Firebombing campaign on Ryloth

During the final stages of the Battle of Ryloth, Count Dooku ordered Emir Wat Tambor to carry out a firebombing campaign against civilian targets, intending to turn a looming defeat for the Confederacy of Independent Systems into a sign of what Galactic Republic victory would cost the galaxy. The operation was carried out by Hyena-class Droid Fighter/Bombers that bombed Twi'lek villages in range of the capital of Lessu City. Jedi General Anakin Skywalker led his starfighters against the bombers as the campaign carried on. As the Battle of Lessu concluded, Dooku had the bombers rush for Lessu, intending to wipe out the gathered Republic forces, Twi'lek Resistance forces, and civilians, even if Tambor was caught in the blast. However, Skywalker and his Padawan, Jedi Commander Ahsoka Tano, were able to take out the bombers before they could begin their attack run.

After the battle, the bombing runs were used as fuel by both sides' respective propaganda machines. The CIS framed the attack runs as necessary efforts to root out the local militia, which it painted as a dangerous force that, had it not been for the Republic, could have been dealt with in less extreme ways. The Republic, meanwhile, condemned the apparent "leave nothing but ashes" tactic the CIS had adopted. The Republic's telling proved to be more convincing, yet the CIS narrative still presented the chilling idea that, if locals tried to resist their occupiers, they would lose everything.

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