Following the Battle of Endor by several months, the New Republic's forces launched an operation to free the Imperial-controlled world of Nag Ubdur, leading to the Battle of Nag Ubdur. Because the Imperial forces stationed in the Ubdur system were isolated from the larger Empire, they fought with increased desperation. Initially, the Imperials managed to inflict significant losses on the Republic, notably through a devastating ambush at Govneh Ridge. Ultimately, however, they were compelled to withdraw to fortified positions located ten kilometers from the Ubdurian merchant city known as Binjai-Tin. During their retreat, they destroyed the city and massacred its population. In a display of their desperation during the conflict, the Imperials resorted to using their starfighters in suicide missions targeting New Republic positions.
During the Age of the Empire, the planet Nag Ubdur, situated in the Outer Rim, fell under the dominion of the Imperial regime. This planet was inhabited by the indigenous Ubdurians, along with Keldar and Artiodac refugees. The Empire exploited Nag Ubdur for its [zersium](/article/zersium] deposits, a vital ore utilized in the production of [durasteel](/article/durasteel]. Consequently, the Empire engaged in strip-mining operations and considered the planet a key asset throughout the Galactic Civil War.
Life under Imperial rule on Nag Ubdur was marked by oppression and exploitation. The residents of the Ubdurian [merchant](/article/merchant] city of Binjai-Tin were prohibited from possessing blasters and were forced to remit a portion of their earnings to the Empire. Following the Battle of Endor, the world transformed into a battleground between the Empire and the New Republic, which was the successor to the Rebel Alliance. In 5 ABY, the Imperial forces mounted a fierce counteroffensive with the aim of securing Nag Ubdur's zersium supply. This action occurred simultaneously with the weakening of Imperial control across the galaxy.
As the struggle for planetary control unfolded between the Empire and the New Republic, the Empire enacted a scorched earth strategy, resulting in the massacre of Binjai-Tin's residents. Members of the New Republic Thirty-First, a unit belonging to the New Republic Defense Force, were caught in an ambush orchestrated by Imperial forces at Govneh Ridge, a geological formation characterized by towering crystals. During the engagement, the unit's squad leader, Hachinka, sustained a neck wound. Her comrades, including the Kupohan Private Rorith Khadur, successfully evacuated her to the New Republic's lines. Despite suffering significant casualties, the Thirty-First managed to secure the ridge.
The next day, the New Republic Thirty-First arrived in Binjai-Tin only to discover that the retreating Imperial forces had massacred its inhabitants. Private Khadur later shared his account with Tracene Kane, a journalist working for the Queen of the Core Network, and Lug, a Trandoshan serving as a camera operator. Sensing Khadur's emotional distress, Lug presented him with a tooth from a zlagfiend as a token of good fortune. Upon concluding the recording of Khadur's testimony, Tracene and Lug set out to locate a guild tower to broadcast their recording.
Before Tracene and Lug could reach their destination, a wave of Imperial TIE fighters and TIE Interceptors initiated a suicide attack targeting New Republic positions within Binjai-Tin. The assault resulted in numerous New Republic personnel being killed or wounded. Despite losing an arm in the attack, Khadur managed to retain Lug's gift. Tragically, Lug was killed when the solar collector of a TIE fighter crushed him. Tracene survived the attack, but was deeply affected by the loss of her friend. In Lug's memory, she began recording a transmission to honor him.
The Battle of Nag Ubdur was part of the New Republic's broader galactic campaign against the remnants of the Empire. By 5 ABY, the Imperial presence in the Outer Rim had diminished to the remote Exterior sector and the planets of Belladoon, Korrus, and Zhadalene. Following Imperial setbacks on Arkanis and Kuat, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane secretly contacted Chancellor Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbar, Princess Leia Organa, and Commodore Kyrsta Agate to propose peace talks between the two opposing factions. However, these discussions were a deception orchestrated by Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax to assassinate the New Republic's leadership on Chandrila. After the Liberation Day attacks, New Republic and Imperial forces clashed at Jakku.
The events of the Battle of Nag Ubdur and the Massacre at Binjai-Tin were first depicted in Chuck Wendig's 2016 novel, Aftermath: Life Debt, which is the second book in The Aftermath Trilogy. The narrative of the battle is presented through the perspective of Tracene Kane, a supporting character.