For six days running the rebels battled government troops. Several gunshots and shellings were heard for days with virtually all the inhabitants running away from the war-torn area. You cannot rule out some casualties in that kind situation.
As the onslaught entered its seventh day, there was need for reinforcement by the government forces. Even though the rebels had been decimated the government forces did not want to leave any stone unturned. Troops were reinforced, more arms and ammunition supplied.
The next few days the rebels started calling for a truce through their unofficial mediator. Government refused to budge. More shellings were then carried out to neutralize all tht was left of them.
The international community had to step in to avoid more bloodshed. It was then that government decided to listen. But then the "war" had been won.
Few days later, government halted the onslaught and gradually the raging fire was quenched. Mining resumed in earnest with tht locals wondering what will become of their streams and rivers.
The boys were merely fighting for survival but the government misunderstood them and applied force to quell them at all cost.
A Five Minute Freewrite: Reinforced