Some period prior to the well-known Battle of Yavin, Saw Gerrera's band of fighters, known as the Partisans, launched the Jedha insurgency. This took place on the desert moon called Jedha, and it formed a component of their wider series of operations directed at the Galactic Empire.
The Galactic Empire maintained an occupation of Jedha, specifically to safeguard their kyber crystal mining endeavors. Consequently, the historic avenues of Jedha City experienced a significant presence of Imperial forces. Specifically, stormtroopers, TX-225 GAVw "Occupier" combat assault tanks, and All Terrain Scout Transports were observed patrolling the urban environment. Despite both the Imperial presence and the Partisan resistance, Jedha City continued to attract numerous visitors from other planets. During this time, Rebel soldiers Cassian Andor and Sergeant Jyn Erso embarked on a mission to Jedha with the goals of finding Gerrera and extracting Bodhi Rook.